Mass Effect: Reliquum Incertus
by DarkDanny
Summary: Betrayed by an deceptive artificial intelligence lifeform, hellbent on proving herself not just to humanity, but to the Galaxy. Two strangers to this time period must work together with other pawns in her game against the Reaper's, her only threat.
1. Introduction

_**Hello all and welcome to **__**'Reliquum Incertus' or 'The Future is Uncertain' This is the first thing I've released since February and the first Crossover I've released in nearly 4 odd years. Anyways I'll keep this brief, be sure to read the end note. before I let you go , the TSCC aspect is fairly small in this first chapter, but it'll get more and more prevalent as this fic goes on...so, for now, Enjoy!**_

_**For the Mass Effect readers: Because this story is a duplicate, I'm only keeping this story here for a day or two If you wanna read then drop by the TSCC fandom and check it out, or use my and please don't report me :)  
**_

_**...**_

_**

* * *

**_...

_**Chapter One: Introduction**_

...

"Have we prepared for their arrival?"

"Yes Madam, I've informed our contacts in the Alliance military of their unexpected arrival, I informed them they should currently be preparing adequate equipment for the task. Whether they listen or not is their prerogative"

"And Mister Massani?"

"Zaeed Massani and his squad are en route to intercept."

"Good."

The two women went silent as the question was answered. The one sitting behind the desk went back to reading through her holopad, her expression passionless as she worked through the latest colony reports coming in from the Hades Gamma cluster.

The other woman, the assistant, kept her eyes on her employer, watching and waiting for any additional questions or requests. There were none.

The assistant cleared her throat. "Miss Weaver," She murmured "if you don't mind me asking, why is this so secretive, what are you expecting Madam?"

Catherine Weaver, CEO of Zeira Galactic Corporation, looked up from her holopad. Her lifeless blue eyes found that young asari had been watching her. Slowly, her face formed into an insincere smile.

"Do not worry yourself over this," was her reply. After a brief pause she added, "Now, I want you to contact The Illusive Man, Nasassa. He and I have a few matters to go over."

The asari bowed respectfully to what she believed to be a human and turned to leave the CEO in peace. Weaver waited until she was the only one present in her office, then she stood up and turned around, walking slowly to the window. Silently she gazed out from her vista. All she saw was snow and ice and the stars setting over the skyline.

She did not mind it; it was peaceful. The planet of Noveria, tucked away in the Horsehead Nebula would make a fine new home for her. Over sixteen thousand light-years away from that radioactive nightmare known as Earth, the planet she had single-handedly brought back to life.

She smirked as she heard the holographic communication device, set in the center of her spacious office flicker to life. Weaver turned around, watching intently as the image clarified. It was him.

He stood there, a glass of brandy in his hand as he stared at her curiously. He looked like the devil personified. Arrogant and extravagant, exhorting the best and worst humanity had to offer to the galaxy. Those words were used in System Alliance dossier. The fact that he removed his natural eyes and replaced them with cybernetic implants only further his delusions of greatness, and only strengthening the report his former overseers held on him.

Worst of all, he knew it; it was a reputation the Illusive Man wasn't about to shy away from.

"Catherine Weaver, a pleasure as always." The man spoke jovially, his smooth voice casual, friendly even. His posture however, everything but. It was clear to her he did not trust her. With a slight smile for her, he added, "how may I be of assistance?"

Weaver walked closer to the holographic projector, taking a seat behind her desk. She folded her spiderlike fingers together.

"I have heard from my sources that you have begun your little war against galactic extermination," she stated factually. Weaver looked over the projection carefully. "After many months of consideration, I have decided to extend a gift, and you may consider it a token for rekindling our long and formerly prosperous friendship."

The Illusive Man smirked as he sipped his drink and leaned forward. Gifts from Catherine Weaver were always interesting.

"What did you have in mind Catherine?"

...

* * *

...

"Tali my dearest, lovely girl, do tell me how are the FBA couplings recalibration coming?" Engineer Ken Donnelly called from behind his terminal; a slight smirk was being shown that quickly gained him trouble. His remark earned him an immediate swipe to the back of the head from his best friend Gabriella Daniels.

"Tali doesn't need your dumb ass hitting on her," she chastised the annoyance that was Kenneth Donnelly on Tali's behalf. Gabby turned back to the other female and shook her head.

"You'll have to forgive Ken. He's been looking for a good ass kicking lately," Gabby stated apologetically. She glanced over to Ken and grinned slightly. "Tell you what Tali, I'll hold him, you hit him."

"Now now Gabby," the cheery Scotsman totted, "I know you're trying to help Tali out but I firmly stand by Tali's right to make the mistake of sharing a sleeper pod with me." As an afterthought, Donnelly smiled and said, "you know, perhaps I will see if I can rent The Loft from the Commander. I'm certain he'd help a poor lonely engineer out. "

"Only the best for you Tali," he finished with his grin still planted on his face. "So what do you say?"

Tali'Zorah vas Neema looked from her panel and turned her visor towards the male. She was 'being teased' as Gabby had once said to her. Kenneth took some sort of odd enjoyment in making others in his presence annoyed. Tali looked back down again, her mind working up a reply.

"I'm sorry Kenneth, I could never be with an engineer," the quarian murmured as she maintained her focus on her panel. "Especially not one as incompetent as yourself," Tali added at the end, her small voice edged with dripping humor.

Donnelly must have noticed the trace of humor in Tali's voice, because the human had burst out in a loud belly laugh from the remark. Tali bowed her head, very happy that the visor hid the sudden smile she was exuding.

"Miss Vas Neema?" The sharp call of a human female called from behind her. Tali stiffened tightly at the voice, her hidden smile dropping back to a frown. The call had come from the one woman on this ship Tali disliked the most. If she could have had one person removed from the crew it would be one Miranda Lawson. Following the quarian's lead, Kenneth and Gabrielle clammed their mouths closed and snapped to attention at the Operatives rank.

_They never had to do such a thing when Shepard was around_ Tali mused. But then again, Shepard wasn't Cerberus scum, despite his links to the pro-human group and his own steady disillusionment to the Systems Alliance. She knew that Shepard was the same good, loyal man she had first met on her Pilgrimage two years ago.

It must have been important. Lawson never came down to the engineering deck unless absolutely necessary. Many of the higher deck crew did not. With an exception to Shepard of course. Shepard was always down here when he had a chance. Always said he liked this part of the ship the most.

As he once said to her: _All the interesting people were down here_. Those kinds of comments always made her smile. It made her smile despite the unpleasantness of most recent events. During the past few days, since the news of her trial for treason, Shepard had seemed to have made it his absolute duty to come down here to make sure that he made his presence around the engine room more known.

But it wasn't for any of the other crewmembers. If it had been, then it was much less an occurrence. No, his attention was for her. She knew why too. He must have been worried, concerned for her well being after the news. They never spoke of it. They never even touched the subject of the upcoming trial. Instead of that topic, the two of them discussed their similar experiences of growing up on a 'spaceship', as he once called the military vessels he lived on.

Then there were the differences between them. When he was seventeen, he got his father to lie about his age so he could join the marines. Tali smiled slightly as she remembered the laughs they shared at the screaming match between his mother and his father that he had dramatically described to her. It was in all likelihood worse than what Shepard had made it out to be. While she still lacked knowledge of the subtler aspects of human speech patterns, it seemed that he liked the idea of making it into a joke.

Tali closed her eyes and rested her digits onto the panel for the briefest of moments. Despite the warm memories of her commander, she had no desire to speak to this human in particular. Still, Tali sighed from behind her visor, it was best to get this conversation over and done with.

"It's Tali." The quarian murmured quietly, placing her attention solely onto the panel in front of her. She had a reason why she didn't like this Miranda Lawson very much. Someone so blinded to the Cerberus cause was dangerous. She would put her loyalty to a man who'd sell them all out if it helped his own agenda.

Still, this "Illusive Man" had one redeeming quality. He had only ever done one thing right in her eyes. That was Shepard. He was the sole reason that she'd take this posting at all. A man who had saved her many times over the course of their brief yet very close friendship.

Tali paused, she was thinking far too much about her commander. As humans say, it just wasn't healthy.

"Right Tali...listen, walk with me" Lawson called out, clearly uninterested with knowing the quarian's first name. That did not bother the engineer too much, she had no intention on become friends with the Operative either. Being on a first name basis with her would never be Tali's intention.

"I have a request." Miranda stated as she led Tali to the lift. Her words clearly not intended to be a simple friendly request between friends.

"Shepard is gone," she said as the elevator started its steady ascent to the Combat Information Center. Miranda turned and stared at the quarian dead on, her eyes boring through the environmental visor as she added, "he took off a few hours ago and he hasn't checked in ever since."

Tali's eyes widened at the words of Shepard's sudden disappearance. The reaction gained a snide smirk from the Operative but Tali had not noticed it as her attention was solely focused on finding a hypothesis for the problem.

"Is...is he in trouble?" Tali finally asked, her digital voice synthesizer hid the worried tone in her voice. Miranda however shook her head in disagreement.

"No, I believe he would have checked in had there been an incident." Miranda returned confidently to Tali, the tone was unsurprising to the quarian, after all, Miranda was always right. The Cerberus Officer turned away from the quarian and dropped her gaze towards the elevator panel. She was clearly not as confident as Lawson.

Was Shepard okay? Why would he leave the Normandy for the night without bringing backup with him? The Omega Station was a dangerous one and while Tali's mind knew that the Spectre was more than qualified to protect himself while he was alone. It still did make her very uneasy about his strange behavior and his even stranger absence.

"He's been distracted as of recently," the female human called suddenly to Tali as the elevator's door opened. Miranda allowed Tali to leave the lift first with a simple hand gesture. Tali nodded and exited first, Miranda a close second.

"Do you have any personal opinion on why that may be?" Miranda asked, flickering her hair back over her shoulder. An action that served both to annoy Tali and made her envious at that level of personal freedom.

Miranda Lawson was asking for her personal opinion. Keelah, Tali wasn't sure where to start with it. It was hard to share what you felt what was wrong with a potential romantic rival. Tali felt her body flinch, an unexpected shock to the system from the thought she had just stated.

There, she admitted it to herself. She liked him. She liked him the moment he shot off that bastard turian assassin's arm with a high power sniper rifle. It had been a different kind of like back then. More of an awing respect and admiration for a rescue and the pure power.

But now with two years of constant work against the geth she thought she could handle anything. Everything but his return. She dreamed of him during his two-year absences. It was the only place where he was alive and happy. It was the only place where together they could be free, without the constraints of body armor or an environmental suit to hold them back. It was a place where together they could lay in grassy field, one from an old human novel she once read. Together laying there watching the stars and whispering about all the places they could explore together.

It would be a place where they could mate, without the need of Immuno-boosters or antibiotics. Not worrying if their first time together would be their last. Skin playing, sliding along skin, the only slightly older man teaching her of the pleasures of human physical contact and her teaching him how to arouse a quarian woman.

Not that she had any firsthand knowledge of with those kinds of interactions. Between such things a compromised immune system and her work doing her part to reclaim her home world from the bastard geth. Tali'Zorah had no time for a personal relationship. She didn't have anyone in her life that she could trust.

Well...with an exception to Shepard. That bacteria riddled human being would be her only exception to the rule. Tali smiled to herself, unable to believe the thoughts she was having.

Tali looked up, quickly realizing that the woman was staring at her, still waiting for an answer to be given. Miranda's arms were crossed, her hard eyes still trying to stare through the visor. That was when it happened, Tali watched as a slight smile became present on her face. A condescending gaze that told the quarian that she knew exactly what was going on in her mind.

"No...Operative Lawson," Tali said in a rush, clinching her three digits and forming a nervous fist. "I have not noticed any distractions in the Commander."

"I see." Miranda nodded. "Well considering that I am ranking officer at this time I know you won't mind if you go find him. He may be in the company Aria T'loak, owner of Afterlife. Drag his ass back here; we have to move on soon."

Before Tali could begin to protest Miranda walked away in the direction of the Normandy bow. Her obvious intention being to draw the quarian into following her towards the airlock exit.

As the two passed by the CIC, a young female named Chambers from what Tali recalled looked up and smiled briefly to her. Chambers had briefed her when she came on board, she asked her many questions, from the quarian people to the their plight in exile and to her personal view of Cerberus and the Commanding officer they both mutually served under. Tali nodded to the human and continued on following Lawson.

"If Shepard wants a small break then Shepard deserves a break," the quarian finally returned as they were out of earshot of Chambers, her voice edged with anger at the human for giving her an order. "Leave him alone and he'll come back."

Operative Lawson lowered her head, one of her finely shaped eyebrow rose up at the outburst made by the alien.

"Miss vas Neema if you wish to remain Shepard's personal lackey that is up to your discretion," Miranda returned confidently as she passed by navigation and communications. "However, I'm trying to make sure that a six billion credit investment the Illusive Man made does not go to waste."

The human and the quarian paused at the corridor connecting the airlock with the bridge. Lawson turned back to smile smugly at the other female.

"Now go," Miranda commanded as she pulled up the pistol in her holster and held it out for Tali to take it for personal defense. Adding a smile she added, "don't take too long. We have an 18 hour trip to Illium and we need to get there ASAP. Mind you, from what I've come to expect from him, we'll be diverting to deal with your trial.."

Tali eyed the pistol briefly and snatched it from the still menacingly smiling Lawson. With the smallest of nods she turned away leaving a fuming quarian behind.

She wasn't mad that she had to go collect Shepard, if anything she was glad to remove herself from the ship, if only a little while. She was mad that she let this Cerberus Bosh'tet order her around with relative ease. Tali shook her head and entered the Airlock. Perhaps she could have Shepard teach her some of the more colorful insults of his species.

...

**

* * *

**

...

Omega Station.

This place...felt wrong to her. A collection of selfish people with selfish ideas, looking for their next fix and a back to stab for a quick profit. Such a place would be looked down by her people as degenerates. Come to think of it, most species inside council space would share this view.

Tali pushed her opinions away. Shepard was somewhere on this scum infested space station and they needed to leave soon. They needed to get out of here and continue on with their recruiting of Shepard's team.

She frowned to herself. Was Operative Lawson right? Would Shepard really divert the mission for her?

There was a commotion at the front that caught her attention. A crowd of various different species gathered around an asari and her Bodyguards, trying to get a glimpse of the woman as she left. Tali could have cared less under any other circumstances. But this asari must have been the one that Miranda Lawson had referenced.

Shepard must have had been close by. She had a plan to get him out of there as well. At least there had been a plan until she had noticed that asari was staring at her directly.

"A quarian," The asari observed as she drifted over to Tali's direction, her bodyguards at the ready. She stopped several meters away and added, "you're a long way from the migrant fleet...Come here girl."

Tali held her stance as the asari stared at her curiously. Tali bit back a desire to rely to the charge. Instead she held her ground, waiting on the asari instead.

"A quarian with a mission...I see," The asari answered the quiet engineer, with a smirk she added "You must be the one he spoke of...I am Aria T'loak."

The one he spoke of? Tali widened her eyes from behind her visor and remained silent despite the internal pleasure of knowing that the commander was speaking about her.

"Tali'Zorah vas Neema I presume?" she inquired. Tali hesitated briefly but she nodded in confirmation. She already knew whom she was speaking to. The silence she exuded only made the asari more amused by her inability to form an intelligent response to the nightclub owner's words.

"He's been talking quite a bit about you." Aria T'loak said knowingly as she led her security team, walking over to the quarian silkily "The more he drinks, the more his lips loosen."

Aria paused only a foot and bent slightly leaned in closely she stated, "you two have quite a lot to discuss, one of these days."

Tali took a backstep and turned, deciding to cross her arms. Another sign of defiance against being treated like a child. "Where is he? Where's Shepard" Tali demanded, cutting through the strained conversation.

"I allowed him use of my private lounge." Aria retorted as she turned from Tali, clearly uninterested with the conversation. "Feel free to order drinks, Shepard has certainly seen fit to doing so... Garka, escort the quarian to Shepard, just in case."

The batarian bodyguard to her right blinked all four of his eyes at the order, the concept of escorting a quarian an inconceivable one. Garka turned his head back, as if to question the order, only to get smacked in the back of the head by T'loak.

"That wasn't a request you bastard, go with her, NOW." Aria snapped and turned back to Tali. She was fuming at the sheer defiance of her subordinate.

The look on her face wasn't warm. "Go get Shepard, now," was the last thing the asari said before turning away and stalking off, her entourage following her closely. Tali turned back to the batarian, who had been staring at her like she was addled with disease. After a moment more of staring, Garka gestured to her.

"Come on Envirosuit." The batarian grunted out rough, walking back to the club without turning to her, "Lets go get your human."

The quarian nodded, following the Xenophobe into the noisy club. Biting back the anger of dealing with such people and not being able to do a damn thing..

...

**

* * *

**

...

Afterlife was a spectacular mess. In all the good ways. The loud, hypnotic electronic music pounded in her ears. Her olfactory filter allowed her to scent the sweat, alcohol, arousal and urgency, urgency to dance the night away and ignore the harshness that existed on Omega Station.

Aria had made a wise investment in this place. it gave the thousands who lived on this station a facade that where they lived could be considered respectable. But it wasn't. In a place where criminals, mercenaries, bounty hunters and dealers could hideaway with no fear, all Afterlife did was paint a pretty picture over the corruption.

Tali broke away from her batarian overseer as she reached the other end of the club and climbed the stairs to the private lounge. Her throat was dry in nervous anticipation of seeing her commander alone and likely inebriated. She paused halfway up the stairs when she heard a very familiar.

It was Shepard, and Tali could feel her nerves getting worse. She hugged herself against the wall so as not to be seen by the marine. Her breathing was exhaling from her suit loudly as she felt herself sweating.

_'Steady yourself Tali'Zorah,' _Tali reasoned with herself as she started to walk slowly forward up the stairs, _'Shepard is just another sapient being like yourself,, you have no need to worry, surely he is relatively clueless about this.' _

At least, that was what she hoped was the case. Shepard was a hard man to read. If there had been any underlying attraction on his part then he certainly was not being open about it. Unless...no, that was impossible. It had to be impossible.

The long personal conversations, his personal attention and concern with her trials. Was that some sign of subtle attraction or was this more of how he usually acted around her? Polite and always willing to be a confidant when she felt down, or when she was younger and she was homesick.

She stopped and observed the sight sitting in front of her. Shepard sat there, drink in hand as he leaned back into his seat, his look far away, but the small slight smirk was evidence that Commander John Shepard was still very present. Closing her eyes and allowing her visor to slightly fog up she stepped the final stairs and stopped a few feet away from the Commander.

Tali wasn't sure where to go from here. With Shepard was still gazing off, this state of personal solace gave Tali a moment to allow herself to look at the defining shapes of the humans form. Muscular, yet a soft pale complexion, He was...masculine, yet beautiful to look at. But that was just her opinion; if she ever dared to say it she was more then certain he would laugh it off, like always.

"Shepard?" She finally called out to the man with the tightly held drink in hand.

Shepard snapped out of his gaze, and noticed the young quarian standing there watching him. Shepard smiled brightly at her presence and stood immediately up to greet Tali properly. He stumbled slightly as he reached her and wrapped his hands around her, forming a hug that both surprised and pleased the young woman.

"Tali why are you out here?" The soldier greeted as he pulled away from her, slightly disappointing the quarian, who had only had enough time to place her hands around his back. Tali smiled from behind her visor as she took in the ecstatic expression the human wore.

"I was sent to collect you by Operative Lawson." She explained, shuffling slightly as she rubbed her arm nervously. John's smile disappeared at the mention of Miranda and shook his head as he looked for anyone else here accompanying her.

"Where's your backup? Where's your weapon kit?" Shepard demanded, his voice seemingly hard at the thought of one of his team members out without being prepared. So in response, Tali crossed her arms and tilted her head a clear body expression of defiance.

"I could ask you the same thing Shepard," Tali returned the question, her voice chastising for her Captain's behavior. "You came to a blatantly anti-human club in nothing but your uniform!"

Shepard just stood there, his eyes looking into hers. For the first time in a very long time she was truly happy to have been hidden behind her visor. Not since the death of her mother had she felt the desire to hide away. This isolation would have been the case after the events of Haelstorm if Shepard had not reentered into her life.

"Fair enough Tali," Shepard returned, grinning at the sharp retort made by the female. "Come take a seat and order something up will you?" He added, gesturing to the seat he was standing by, "I don't want to drink alone tonight."

Tali exhaled and forced her locked up legs to move her to the couch. Shepard smiled from behind his glass and patted the seat encouragingly. It was permission to join him...not that she had needed permission...John...John would naturally wish for...for her presence.

The quarian slapped her mind back in place by going over the schematics of the Normandy's Tantalus drivecore. She needed to focus, a relationship with Shepard was a far too risky venture to engage in, especially when they were going after the Collectors. He needed to be clear minded more than she, he didn't need any more distractions then he already had...he didn't need her.

"Nothing for me Shepard," she quietly said, her previous thoughts bringing her excitement down to a much more controllable state. She sat down a ways away from him, her eyes focused intently away from his smile.

"Suit yourself but if you need something don't hesitate to ask for it." Shepard shrugged as he drank back half his glass of human alcohol. He swallowed and smiled apologetically at her. Without any words John shuffled his body up the seat a few inches closer to her, the action making Tali press her legs together as she looked for something clever to impress or amuse Shepard with.

"You got lucky that they served humans Shepard," Tali mused for the human, a smile hidden, "I doubt they will extend a quarian the same courtesy."

It was meant to be humorous; it was meant to be self-deprecating humor. But Tali was shocked when Shepard's eyes went as solid as a kinetic barrier. He didn't like, nor was he amused by the statement at all. Tali watched as Shepard's five-digit hand formed into an intimidating looking fist. She watched as his breathing slowed down to a near standstill.

"If they don't serve you Tali, you just hand me that gun in your holster and I'll _make_ them serve you," Shepard returned darkly. "For Christ sake Tali, who do you think you are? A second class citizen?"

"You're better then all these assholes here..." Shepard said as he finished his drink, and looked back up to her. "Far better than me that's for sure."

Tali was flattered with the statement, flattered and surprised at the bitterness in his tone when he mentioned himself. Did he really think that? Or was he being modest with her? No, it wasn't modesty; she had seen that before in him. Was this an honest opinion?

"Better then you Shepard?" Tali curiously inquired, "Shepard, I was joking.."

John Shepard, one of the most charismatic individuals she had ever met, stared at her blankly.

"Oh." Shepard returned sounding very idiotic, Tali suppressed the laugh she wanted to emit as she noticed her commander had, for the very first time, blushed slightly at her words. Shepard cleared his throat . "Never mind...can you just order a drink?" he requested nearly pleadingly. "You don't have to drink it, I just want to make a toast and I need more then myself to make one."

"A toast?" Tali questioned, she knew the significance to it but why Shepard wanted to engage in one was beyond her at the moment. The male merely shot her a bright grin.

"Yeah, an honor for someone who deserves it." Shepard returned needlessly as he fumbled with the bottle of human alcohol, a substance unable to be consumed by Tali, another reminder of the differences the two of them shared.

"Here...I know you don't want to drink," Shepard said as he took a used from off the tray and poured half his drink into it, "just take have of mine...at least you'll have the excuse of not being able to drink it."

Shepard extended the glass out to the quarian female expectantly. Tali stared at it for a moment before she reached out and took it. She paused herself as she felt her hand touching John's. She fell back into embarrassment for the prolonged gesture. Shepard looked down and noticed her digits playing with his and smiled faintly.

Tali's eyes widened from behind her visor and swiftly took it as a sign that she had to let the commander go. She took the glass in his hand and pulled it close back to her. She brought the drink up, already forming a half toast.

"To fathers." Shepard announced over top of the music, raising his glass towards a stunned Tali'Zorah. "They always pass on their worst traits to their children, made you hate your own creations, made me hate damn near everyone in this fucking galaxy."

Tali narrowed her eyes and frowned, nearly ready to verbally assault Shepard. But she paused herself from engaging in her the well planned rant. As soon the human uttered her father she nearly missed the second comment being made by him. This wasn't just about her. This was something else completely similar to her plight.

"Shepard?" Tali questioned worriedly, "Are you okay?"

Shepard glanced up and read her mask. He was silent, dangerously silent as he leaned back in his seat. Finally he uttered "Yeah, I'm fine."

The only sound made between them was the noise of the music overwhelming the club as Tali and John sat in a long uncomfortable silence. Tali found herself scared to be in he same room with the Commander. Never before had she felt that way when they were in each other's company.

Why didn't he want to talk to her? He always found the time to get her to talk. Not that it was a difficult feat considering how social a people quarians wer-

"My dad died."

Tali stiffened at the sudden revelation and stopped her internal thoughts to a standstill. Her eyes went wide as she watched Shepard finished yet another glass of vodka. He looked down and grabbed the bottle between his legs to pour himself another drink. But in his drunken state Shepard lost control of the bottle as Tali snatched it from his hand.

Shepard didn't even get angry. Nor would he have been able to notice that Tali had a trickling of tears running down her face from hearing the loss Shepard had endured.

"geth got him three weeks ago in an ambush. Freak encounter apparently, Dad was inspecting at the SSV Serrano, a Carrier vessel stationed in the Attican Traverse." Shepard announced, his voice dull as he placed his glass down and rubbed his head.

"Anyways the drive core of the Serrano crashed, they were sloppy and sent a message over unsecure lines, geth found it and sent a welcoming party, all hands lost."

He drifted off. looking very determined not to look at Tali who had gone privately tearing up inside her environmental suit to losing nearly all her self-control. She willed herself not to make a sound, a long wail from the pain they shared together.

"Shepard..." She managed to say through her own choked back emotions, "I'm so sorry, why...why didn't you say anything to me? You know I would be there for you."

"I only found out about it four days ago," He admitted her, his eyes not focusing on her, but instead the floor. "With this whole treason and exile business...I wanted to stay focused on that..."

Shepard looked up and shot the quarian a rueful smile. The words only served to make the quarian feel even guiltier. She had been so wrapped up in clearing her name she hadn't even noticed that Shepard, a man who went out of his way to care for her was in need of a helping hand. He was always there for everyone. But no one was ever there for him...

Well that changed now, and Tali would be the one to do that.

"Shepard..." Tali breathed, watching as he lowered his eyes, clearly focused on his own father. "Shepard, why didn't you tell me?" She repeated once again, this time much more firm. "We have been spending the past few dancing around the subject of my own issues and we don't even touch on your father?"

Shepard shook his head. Not wanting to talk.

"Shepard I'm so sorry..."

Tali trailed off as she noticed that the Commander was glaring at her for the attempt at sympathy. So she closed her mouth and went to a passive state. The reaction she gave to the look seemed to have head off Shepard's anger. He sighed, shaking his head in an uncertain way.

"Don't Tali." He bluntly demanded at first. He exhaled and closed his eyes, his much more gentler voice added, "I'm fine...Let's just... Let's just drink."

But Tali wouldn't have any of that. Watching Shepard become more and more of a mess in order to not deal with his personal grief served to annoy her to no end. So gathering up her senses she said, "Shepard do you recall that I told you just how social quarians are?"

"Of course I remember," Shepard mused faintly in turn. "Do you recall that human males don't like to talk about loss?" Shepard asked, crossing his arms and smiling defiantly at her. "Just... give four or five more drinks. I promise, we can talk about him then."

"No Shepard, that is a male disability that transcends every species, one I thought you didn't have," Tali returned, her arms crossing as well. "I want to get you back to the ship." With a sudden burst of strangely misplaced confidence she decided to quickly add, "We will talk about it, consider it an order."

Shepard didn't answer her order. Instead, he sat there. His drunken expression smiling at her despite the acknowledgment of his father's demise. He seemed to have been looking her over very carefully. Almost judgmentally. It was not like the look exhibited by Operative Lawson. Instead, Shepard wore the smallest of smiles. That smile that always left Tali tingling.

"Want to dance?" He called suddenly, shuffling himself closer to Tali, that slight smile never leaving his lips. Lips that Tali had to beg herself not to rip off her visor and kiss. Still Shepard moved until he was sitting. Cloth pressed against environmental suit. Shepard turned his hand over and left it open, a clear invitation for the quarian to take it.

"Dance?" Tali returned, her voice weak as she watched her hand jump unexpectedly into Shepard's. She felt herself heat up from a mixture of embarrassment and self-consciousness. Eventually she looked up and somehow, she managed to mumble, "but...but Shepard I can't...I-I shouldn't...really."

Tali silenced herself before continuing on with worrisome words. She felt their connected hands tighten suddenly. Shepard's small way of comfort. The quarian sighed and looked up, determined not to falter anymore than she was already doing.

She was Tali'Zorah vas Neema. She fought along side the some of the toughest people in the galaxy. She fought the geth, krogans, and the rachni. Any species that'd threaten to destroy her people. Who'd destroy her friends.

So why now did she lose her confidence?

"I'm giving you the choice then Tali," Shepard said, cutting Tali from her thoughts as he used his free hand to grab the bottle of Vodka, pouring a new glass for himself. "Dance...or Drink."

.

* * *

.

As it turned out, Tali chose to drink.

Tali had thought it over and at that moment, it seemed like the best course at the time. With Shepard so close and asking to engage in something so personal and erotic as dancing. Naturally to her, it felt as if drinking was the only thing they could do to break the tension shared between the quarian and the human.

She thought wrong. Sure, in the short term it kept the both of them from running their hands over each other's bodies as they pounded back drinks. But like previously stated it was only a short-term affair. Tali would find she noticed a stray hair or fiber on Shepard and would go out of her way to remove it. Likewise for Shepard who'd find a smudge on her environmental suit and would furiously attempt to wipe it off. Each touch becoming more and more personal.

These things may have seemed inane for a sober person's perspective, but for Shepard and Tali it only led to increased interactions, from something as simple as a random hug to walking down the streets of Omega station hand in hand. They even startled a young quarian trapped on the station and in need of an escape. Shepard not only donated the thousand credits needed, but handed him an extra five and stated "Get the hell out of this shithole right now."

This action had lead to Tali nearly ripping her mask off to kiss the Commander for his rude but very generous act. Instead of doing so she merely planted one of her digits over his lips. It was a horrible way to give affection, but it was the only way to do so without killing her.

Needless to say this affection had to stop. The mission came first; Shepard's attention had to be focused solely on the trials ahead. There was no time for this. She tried her best to explain, she did her best to fight this change. Many times she tried. But she gave up that many hours ago.

Why? Because she was too stinking drunk on turian whiskey and quarian ale to care anymore.

_'Decontamination in progress...Stand by.'_

From her side, Shepard groaned impatiently. He was clutching his head in annoyance as the hum of the scanner permeated through the room. After a minute of the droning humming passed by Shepard looked up obviously annoyed at the process he had to endure.

"Come on EDI...speed this up goddammit." Shepard complained loudly, swinging his large arm around Tali's shoulders, using her as a way to stand in place.

This didn't last long; Tali hadn't expected this and dropped up on the floor of the chamber, taking an unsteady human with her. They laughed wildly at their collective misfortune and tried to pull themselves off the floor of the decontamination chamber.

"_I'm sorry Commander Shepard," _stated the Enhanced Defense Intelligence, or EDI as she was commonly referred by her human controllers, watched the two intoxicated organic life forms carefully,_ "A full decontamination is required for the safety and standard operation procedure for running this vessel."_

Shepard waved his hand in the direction of EDI's voice, forming a very rude human gesture that John attempted to teach her.

"Shepard, EDI is correct." Tali tried to chastise the Commander, "A sterile environment... is always necessary for a...for a..." Tali paused and suddenly she burst out giggling and waved her arm, adding, "Forget it, speed it up EDI!"

"That's the spirit!" Shepard cheered her on wildly "Screw authority, forget all these Cerberus bastards, take charge... take charge of your own destiny! What are these assholes gonna do? Reprimand me, or you?"

The airlock door disengaged and opened, standing there was Miranda Lawson, The Brunette biotic who had sent Tali to the Station stood there, her eyes uncompromisingly hard as she observed the sight of a six billion credit investment piss drunk and playing with fellow spacer trash.

"Shepard," She called, her dark eyes staring through the Commander.

"Well…well...well, if it isn't Miranda Lawson," Shepard said slowly, his tone humorous but his message anything but, "I've got a bit of a matter I want to talk to you about."

Miranda merely smirked.

"Perhaps when you're sober, then I will speak to you," Miranda replied to his demand easily, crossing her arms and raising a single finely shaped eyebrow at him. "I'm taking personal command of the Normandy until you and the quarian sober up."

"Come on Tali, I'm already sick of listening to her bullshit already." Shepard said over his shooting the engineer a bright smile and offered his arm for her to take, adding, "I think Garrus has something you can drink on the ship, miserable bastard.."

But as Tali looped her arm in to Shepard's, Miranda took a single step forward, arrogantly attempting to block the two intoxicated friends. She crossed her arms. Lawson's chastising look turning into an aggressive glare as she looked to both of them every so often.

"Shepard whatever your issue is, you're a coward for not just dealing with it like the man the galaxy views you as." She snapped back, surprising the Commander. Tali took a step forward but Miranda turned her cold attention to her next.

Tali wanted to scream and assault the woman. But there was something about her that she just couldn't understand. Why did she feel entitled to boss Commander Shepard, hero of a dozen engagements around like a deckhand, or a whipping boy. Did she really hold that much power and sway with the Illusive man? Or was she like the Commander described. Backed into the corner like a wild animal and quickly losing ground thanks to his revival.

"As for you vas Neema, you're a walking stereotype." She pressed on nearly viciously, crossing her arms and narrowing her dark eyes at Tali'Zorah, adding, "the perfect archetypal example of a useless quarian, do this mission a favor, go back to the flotilla where you belong, you have no place onboard a Cerberus warship."

It seemed that the Operative had enough of the silent Commander and Tali, who still seemed to have wanted to protest the remark but had no words to describe the sheer amount of hate she had for this Miranda Lawson. The human's stinging words hurt, but there was no way she'd look weak in front of her friend

"You both are pathetic." She concluded for the two of them, looking ready to leave them and take control of the vessel, "Get out of here now and don't-"

Before Tali and Miranda knew it, and strangely enough, even Shepard, The human female was yanked by the scruff of her uniform and dragged over to stare eye to eye with the aggressor. It was Commander Shepard, and he was clearly enraged and looking ready to strike the smug look off the genetically superior human pretty face.

"Listen to me good Lawson." He hissed, his words sounding like venom as he pinned the Cerberus Operative against the airlock wall. His lips curled into a fearsome sneer as he added, "If you _ever_ send Tali out to Omega again with only a pistol and no goddamn back up to speak off, I'll skin you alive. Do we have an understanding?"

Miranda's response came in the form of a quick gasping for air as Shepard's grip only continued to tighten slowly. the gasp was interpreted as a 'yes'; So Shepard allowed an awful smile spread over his lips as he watched her.

"Good." Shepard said, the undertone of his soft voice the scariest Tali'Zorah had ever heard, "Now apologize to Tali for your 'useless quarian' comment and stay the hell out of our way from now on..."

There was no way in hell Miranda was going to submit to apologizing to a quarian. So instead Lawson struggled helplessly in one last gasp effort to save face, her biotics flaring up and flickering for moments, but Shepard's cybernetically enhanced body held the older woman against the wall, his grip still steadily tightening, the struggle she gave forcing Miranda to give off a weak sound of choking escape her lips.

This wasn't what Tali wanted, sure she despised the woman, but to watch her Commander kill the scum was beneath him, no matter how justified he may have been, and certainly not in...in her honor? Shepard was willing to kill for her? This concept only served to reinforce the need to keep Lawson alive even if she was a xenophobic bitch. Not out of safety for the woman, but to keep John from falling back in to a role that he had managed to shake after his death.

Gently, Tali walk up over to John and placed her hand on his shoulder, immediately garnering the males attention. Tali didn't even have to speak, her words her expressed through her bright eyes. Shepard nodded, allowing his hand to release its grip and letting Lawson slump on the ground, gasping to catch her breath.

Shepard looked around and noticed that bridge crew had turned their attention off their control panels and on to the scene that had just unfolded. Even Joker had hobbled his way over to watch the action and was looking at Shepard in utter awe of his commanders' brash assault on the agitator.

"Commander that was amazing...fuc-"Joker started to exclaim only to be cut off mid sentence by the angry expression Shepard had focused on him.

"Joker shut up or you're going to be next."

Tali shot her head and smiled as she noticed the discreet playful that Shepard shot the pilot, but clearly Joker hadn't noticing as he shuffled himself back to his chair, determined not to piss Shepard off. With a shake of her head she pressed her hand against the commander's chest, pushing him back from his intimidating stance and extending her free one out for Lawson to use.

"I...Apologize Miss Zorah, clearly I was wrong" She murmured, not taking the extended three digit hand and standing up on her own accord. She stood up, her attention solely focused on not appearing as humiliated as she felt.

Tali dropped her hand, instead weakly heading over to Shepard in order to take his arm as mutual support. "You...you certainly were." She returned in a mutter under her breath so low that only Shepard could hear the murmur.

They walked slowly towards the Elevator, both calming themselves down from the incident. Tali's mind started swimming with the thought that John had been defending her honor from the oddly overtly aggressive Miranda Lawson.

"That was amazing." Tali marveled respectfully, deciding to open the topic up for discussion "I've never seen her do that before...than-thank you Shepard."

"No problem Tali." Shepard returned, very pleased with the praise the quarian was giving him, "Don't let anyone give you shit. And especially not from someone with as little personality as her, I mean, she uses her genetic superiority as a conversation starter. Don't even get me started about how goddamn annoying it is"

Tali giggled again, batting her eyelids from inside her helmet.

"Commander Shepard, are you claiming I am more interesting then the stunning Miranda Lawson?" Tali coyly asked in between her inexplicable giggle. Shepard stumbled both of them into the elevator, sliding down the wall as if he was looking for some cover during a firefight.

"Hell yeah you are, I'd rather listen to you babbling on about your culture, people and immune system then talk about how hard her existence is..." The Spectre returned, crossing his legs and looking back up to Tali, after a moment of grinning at the slightly stunned Tali, he tacked on, "EDI, My Quarters."

"Your Quarters..." Tali trailed off, no longer able to make a properly stringed together sentence. Regardless of her nonexistent protest the Elevator made its assent upwards to the section of the Normandy Tali never dared to see firsthand. Hearing only stories of the strange amount of luxury giving to the Normandy's commanding officer.

"Yeah Tali'Zorah, my quarters" he shot back to her easily, sliding his back on the wall and taking a seat as he waited on the elevator to ascend to his quarters, "I have interesting things to do there...and besides...You...you think that you can work on my engines in your condition?"

Shepard's tone was a clearly challenging one. It was a challenge that the quarian decided not to take up on. Not when she had been giving a chance to visit the private residence of the commander

"Fair enough Shepard, but no...No funny business." Tali finally returned, deciding to use humor to mask her still steadily increasing fear and the fact that her heart was pounding inside of her at an alarming rate, or the fact she was sweating again at the thought of intimacy.

"I wouldn't dream of it Miss Neema Shepard returned, his voice sweet and noble on Tali's ears until he added "We'll just... just...I don't know I'm done talking."

"But you're sooo good at it." She teased the Commander, giggling again as she heard a string of swear words escape his lips as a response to the toying. Tali paused her teasing as the nerves in her body jolted.

The elevator had come to a halt and now John was standing back up. This was it, she was about to enter Shepard's more personal life. There wasn't any going back anymore.

Welcome to 'The Loft" Tali my dear….dear friend." Shapard managed to get out, Allowing Tali the chance to exit the elevator first, his hand pressed on top her back to gently encourage her to break her rigid nervousness.

Even drunk, Tali was worried about entering the room that John possessed, why. Especially when not only was he encouraging her but he had also promised to keep his hands to himself. Not that she wouldn't have minded the attention…no. Tali stopped her thinking her and the Commander had to stay plutonic. For the good of the mission. Shepard had to remain clear minded.

That was what she kept on telling herself, that they couldn't be together. But judging from him. That didn't seem like the case at all, if anything, in his drunken haze, it seemed that he was more and more flirtatious with her. and she was more and more hoping it was real.

"So, this is where the commander of the ship resides." Tali finally spoke after finishing her inspection of the model ships on display. "Very spacious for a military vessel."

Shepard merely shrugged.

"I manage…"

"You bosh'tet, must you be so arrogant?" The woman playfully chastised Shepard, taking her head in silent laughter

"You like it," Shepard stated as he laughed to himself "so I'll make sure I continue with acting ths way... just for you Take a seat?"  
_  
Just for you… _She liked that thought.

"No, I would like to glance around, if you do not mind." Tali murmured finally, snapping herself from statement she heard.

"Oh Right," Shepard finally said, nodding his head knowingly, "standard quarian noisiness, I'll have to remember that if I want to be your friend."

"You like getting yourself into trouble, don't you?"

"Yeah, mix things up a bit you know." Shepard shot back, on his lips the widest grin Tali ever saw from him, "besides, I'm sure you'd do the same...killer body like that must have every quarian male and female in the damn fleet chasing you."

"Shepard!" she nearly screeched at him, slapping him hard on the chest. Shepard grinned and turned away from her. She watched as the Commander walked over to his closet. Unbuttoning his dress uniform and letting it fall off his body, tossing it over to the bed.

"What?" Shepard asked chuckling to himself, "Spoke too bluntly for you? Or is it the truth and you do enjoy the company of some random quarian."

"I could ask the same thing about Doctor T'soni." Tali murmured, not wanting to think of the past exploits of John's. She did not like knowing about the extent of the relationship him and the young asari had for a while.

"The doctor and I?" Shepard mused as he slipped out of his dress pants, trying to unsuccessfully pull on his other causal pair, not able to notice the blush from Tali as she checked him out, "yeah, once upon a time, back when I wasn't getting any signals from another person on my vessel a few years back. Might have been also been too young, too wrapped up in her own goals to have a fleeting thought about a future with me."

Shepard smiled slightly, his best lady-killer smile. It worked too. Tali bobbed her head back and attempted to control herself.

"And if I wasn't interested in any specific quarian?" Tali questioned him, her eyes light. Shepard smirked and shrugged his shoulders

"Well...I'd feel like a right jackass for it."

Tali merely smiled and turned away from human. She really couldn't stop herself. She needed to be at his side, wanted his favor. She tried to resist the urges she received from being in his company. Still, she couldn't. She focused her attention onto the fish tank as she recollected herself.

This gave her a moment to think, about everything. Think about her role with her people, think about the strange statements he made to her about the geth and their right to self-determination. Think about how Shepard challenged her views respectfully and in turn she'd get all fired up and defensive.

She was a bitch to him for the slightest of objections but...but..

What if Shepard had been right? what if the geth weren't just the simple, unruly and violent machines her father's teachings made them out to be. What if everything she learned was wrong...or worse, corrupted to further her father's agenda against the machines, a simple, blind following who only required love from her father to get what Rael needed to further his experiments against the geth..

"Why doesn't my father love me Shepard?" Tali whispered. The question that escaped her lip surprising the both of them.

"He does Tali, I know that he does." The male muttered, turning away from the female to find a glass. After stumbling in place while pouring a fresh glass of scotch he added. "He just doesn't know how to show it."

Tali shook her head. Her rational state deteriorating as thoughts about her upcoming trial and her father came to the surface after spending so any hours burying it with work and mission and thoughts of Shepard.

"Every time he saw me he saw my mother, and when he wasn't focused on that I was just a nuisance. To him, I am a disappointment. I was too rebellious; I was too stubborn and hard headed." Tali listed off, rubbing the back of her helmet, adding, "It was only when I showed an interest in salvaging geth technology that he finally started treating me like his daughter..."

Shepard downed his drink as he watched the quarian bow her heed, thinking about things. even with a dozen drinks in him, he knew where this would be going...

"He wants to build you a home on the home world Tali, you kept telling me that all night...he loves you, and he really does." Shepard tried to comfort her, unsure of where to go from there. Tali merely narrowed her eyes and gave a uncharacteristic snort at the thought.

"Build a home on the home world?" Tali scoffed, crossing her arms "An empty promise made by a distant father."

Tali started pacing back and forth, her body jolting from the alcohol, adrenaline of her anger and the close presence of Shepard, attempting to comfort her. Finally she looked up and added. "Rael is a Military man, The Fleet that always comes first in his eyes. Not his family, not his friends. The fleet Shepard, not his daughter."

"He loves you!" Shepard nearly snapped at her, taking a step forward to her, clearly irritated with the statement... the claim Tali had been making. Tali stopped moving, her arm pinned by the tight clamp of Shepard's hand.

"Then prove it!" She cried back, her eyes brimmed with tears. "I want proof my father loved me, actually loved me. Actually cared for me beyond a simple 'pipe dream' as you humans say.."

They stood there, inches away from one another. Shepard's expression was hard, yet the look on his face multiplied the passion in his resolve, . Hidden behind her mask, Tali was silently crying as she tried her best to transfer grief to anger then direct it at Shepard, a man much tougher then her Someone who could handle her rage with ease.

"Dance with me." Shepard suddenly requested firmly, lifting her helmet up with his free hand so that she could look at his face directly. It wasn't what he had in mind to help her with her father issues. Judging by her reaction, letting go of him and backing away, she seemed to have been wondering the exact same thing.**  
**  
They stared at each other, Shepard's body slightly swaying in place. Neither of them made a sound, nor a move to towards or away from each other. Shepard stood there, that small knowing smile back on his handsome face. In that moment, Tali'Zorah vas Neema knew what she was about to make the first move. For once.

"Okay." Tali finally whispered despite her nerves acting up. Nervously, the quarian reached her hand towards the humans, waiting for all five digits of his to take hers.

"I heard quarians are suppose to be excellent dancers, any truth to that claim?" Shepard mused, attempting to keep the quarian woman from falling back into her stupor.

Tali nodded.

"As a whole we are." she confirmed as Tali squeezed his hand in return and stepped up closer to the human. "We take art very seriously on the Flotilla, it is the only way we can convey how we feel without having to go into lengthy conversations...it's the...well, it's can be the closest thing we can do without linking our suit environments. "

Shepard nodded, his breath heavy in his chest as he too stepped closer to her.

"And yourself Tali'Zorah?" he whispered as his free hand reached out and slid down her environmental suit, resting firmly on her hip. He watched slightly amused as her iilluminating eyes lit up, obviously shocked at his boldness.

"I-I'm not so talented." she blurted out, she laughed nervously and looked around, looking for the nearest exit or airlock to fire herself out of. after taking a deep breath, added, "I know how, but I'm not very good at such things, my specialty is in the engineering field, my father always sad there was no time for things that did not aid out peop-."

Shepard tugged her closer, with a smile he moved over her and pressed his lips on her mask, where her forehead would have been. The affection worked. Tali abruptly ended her ranting and fell slack jawed as she watched him pull away.

"Tali," Shepard whispered, his index finger sliding up and down her suit, "if you continue bringing yourself down I'm going to find your daddy and kick his ass. There's making sure your kids are prepared and then there is making them go stir crazy over something kinda a little selfish..."

Tali let go of Shepard's body and crossed her arms.

"My 'Daddy' is a very tough quarian," Tali teased the man, leaning in slightly as if daring him to kiss her again. "I doubt a human like you could take him."

John merely smirked. "You obviously have no idea how easy a human can mess up any species that tries to fight him."

Tali smiled to herself and uncrossed her arms, edging closer. looking up at the man."I do know," she agreed, her voice low with a sudden desire to flirt, "I've watched you... whenever I can."

Shepard widened his eyes at the remark. Did this sweet, innocent girl just make a pass at him?

"Well Miss Zorah," Shepard stated briskly looking around, "I guess we'll have to find out...we'll start slow, nice and slow." With a smile he added, this time much more lower "I wouldn't want you to harm yourself... I'll keep you close too, just in case..."

The young, still fairly drunk woman looked down as she felt the pressure of the soldiers hands dig into the side of her suit. Shepard's hands move upwards, gripping her. She couldn't feel it, not in the way that she wanted to, but she closed her eyes and exhaled softly.

"Oh yes, definitely" Tali agreed, wrapping her arms around her Captain's waist.

They stood together, their bodies tightly pressed to each other. The only thing they dared to do was breathe. Somehow even that was intimate as their chest moved together, finding a perfect cooperative rhythm. Tali reached up, placing her chin over Shepard's shoulder. Slowly she came to realize that there was no music being played

How did they end up they this? and what would happen tomorrow when they were sober? Would this be the closest they would ever be? would Shepard reject her? Suddenly as if an answer to her question, Shepard nuzzled the side of his face into her veil. She sighed. Her questions would be answered once they sobered up but for now...for now she was just going to enjoy it

"John?" She breathed into Shepard's ear softly. Using his first name for the first time since they had gotten back to the ship.

"Hmm?" Shepard returned, looking up and sensing right away that Tali was blushing behind her mask. "Oh, right, EDI, some music please, something, slow."  
_  
"Acknowledged Shepard."_**  
**  
The sound of a softly played instrument echoed through out the room, setting an ambiance between the two. Tali pulled back her head as she listened closely to sounds she never heard before it was...beautiful, she never thought humans were capable of this; She felt her body slowly swaying and following Shepard's conservative dancing.**  
**

_You must remember this...A kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh...The fundamental things apply...As time goes by._

"Oh god," Shepard chuckled as he moved her back and forth, maintain his eyes only on hs dancer partner, "how cliché, EDI." Tali huffed and slapped the soldier's chest. annoyed slightly at thee scoffing.

_And when two lovers woo...They still say, "I love you."; On that you can rely...No matter what the future brings...As time goes by.__  
_  
"Shut up... I've never heard this song before. Besides, it's giving me good impression...maybe humans are all brutes.." She nearly hissed,however it came out more as a giggle. The smack made Shepard smile. Slowly he nodded and allowed the quarian her taste in cheesy love songs that EDI deemed appropriate for them.

_'Moonlight and love songs...Never out of date...Hearts full of passion...Jealousy and hate...Woman needs man...And man must have his mate...That no one can deny...'_

They went silent, deciding to move to the music, they had no more words to share at that moment. Not yet at least. Together they silently decided to simply enjoy each other's presence.

...

* * *

...

_Motor control_ _System rebooting in:_

_115_

_How did this happen to them?_

_116_

_Where were they?_

_117_

_Why did she do this to them? What did she really have to gain?_

_118_

_How was she so short sighted she had not seen this coming?_

_119_

_Was John still alive?_

_120_

She opens her eyes. None of her questions are answered.

At least not at first. Slowly her auditory sensors pick up a low moan and a colorful variety of curse words being uttered. She smiled faintly. Her most important question being answered. John was alive, and Angier then he had ever been in his life. The rage in his voice reminding her of his mother.

Unsteadily, she stood up, scanning the area first before making her first over to John. She found him, He was no longer the boy. He was ruggedly handsome, at least that was what her files said. He was in his mid thirties, his face, covered in stubble and a long scar running down his eye.

They had changed a lot in their years together, She even saw to it that she aged, following John's progression in years. necessary to deceive her enemies. She shook her head, Right now, this reminscing was not needed. The woman dropped to her knee and lifted John's head up, examining it for injury.

"No signs of brain trauma, you will be fine John Connor." She announced, lowering Connor's head on the grass and moving her hand down to his leg, the one he had been clutching in pain.

"No shit there Cameron..." John hissed as he felt the woman's hand searching hands overtop the injury.

Cameron blinked, Her husband was angry at her, why; She just did not know, whether it was the broken leg or the fact that Catherine Weaver, their trusted ally had deceived them and now they were trapped in another time period. Again she minimized the question to the back of her CPU. She did not need to wonder that, not until John was okay.

Why did this betrayal warrant anger towards her?

Cameron shook her head and concluded he was doing what humans do best, being irrational.

"John lay still," Cameron commanded, pressing her hand over his chest and forcing him to lie flat on the Earth. "you have a fractured leg, I need to make a splint."

"Fix it later, besides we're naked, what are you going to do?" John commanded gruffly, getting himself up on his healthy leg and looked around at his surroundings, his head bobbing back and forth nauseous from the Time Displacement jump.

Slowly, John turned his eyes over Cameron's body briefly taking solace in her naked body, He looked up, his eyes meeting Cameron's knowing smirk. After a moment, he coughed and added "we need to get out of here...Where are we?"

"Earth." Cameron deadpanned, attempting humor to lighten the situation. It did not work. John groaned at the attempt and pressed his hand over his face. Cameron smiled faintly at the reaction and slowly lifted him up, wrapping her arm around him in support.

"I mean when are we?" John finally clarified for Cameron as he again looked around, this time much more carefully "Everything is so...green, clean...And listen animal life... how far are we in the past?"

Cameron frowned as she looked around as well. He was correct, small animal life seemed abundant, albeit far off. The forest did seem more alive then the ones they knew during the war. Quietly and without warning, Cameron lowered herself on one knee. She reached out and scooped up a sample of the topsoil in the dirt. With a tilt of her head she scanned the properties of the soil for any sort of anomalies.

"Soil sample detects that background Gamma radiation levels are still significantly high." Mrs. Connor stated as she looked up to her husband, "no where near dangerous levels, but much lower then it was in 2020."

"Think we could be back around the Cold War era?" John mused to himself as Cameron stood back up. "Bombs were being tested by the dozen above ground on both sides of the Iron Curtain, no one gave a fuck about the effects."

Cameron thought about the hypothesis laid out by John. It was a sound theory. Radioactive levels were roughly at this level in the mid to late 1950's thanks to two paranoid superpowers and zero above ground test ban treaties in place. Was this Weaver's gift? A world without any war to live in?

A low rumble came in from the distance, she classified it as a thunderstorm in the east. Slowly Cameron moved John, walking him towards the forests edge. The thunderstorm did not go relent, if anything it was becoming louder and louder, now catching John's attention.

"What the hell that noise all about, I've got a splitting headache over here." John grumbled as he gripped tighter on Cameron.

She wasn't paying attention, her mouth was clamped close and her head tilted to one side. The loud noise was no longer just a noise. It was a byproduct of what Cameron could only guess to be a spaceship...from the old movie they watched as teenagers. Slowly it made it's way overhead of John and Cameron. The ship itself must have had been over 400 meters long as it reached it's zenith.

Cameron turned to find her husband staring at it slack jawed and wide eyed. "Can you explain that with your hypotheses?" She inquired. John did not answer her, nor had she expected him to.

"What the hell is that?" John finally whispered as he watched the massive vessel roar out of the atmosphere. and into space. Cameron shook her head as she watched the ship until it was out of even her own vision. Slowly she turned back to the shocked human.

"The only explanation is that we are now in the future," She murmured to him, hoping that her smooth tone would keep him from exploding "How far I do not know as of ye-."

"Get on your knees and place your hands behind your head!" A voice roared out from behind them. Cameron turned around, swiftly lowering John to the Earth, to safety in the grass. She narrowed her eyes.

"John," She stated firmly, "Stay down, I will handle them."

John grunted in pain, his agreement. He had been with Cameron Connor long enough to know that their were some things you just did not argue with her about. Namely, John's safety.

There, slowly walking up to them were seventeen men, of them fifteen wore the same design of rxpensive, high-tech combat armor. Two of the challengers wore different styling of armor then the others in the unit. Specialist perhaps. All of them were carrying projectile-based weaponry of an unknown variant. Prudently, Cameron identified the unit as a moderate threat, just in case.

A whistle broke out from one of the men, obviously ogling her up. Cameron narrowed her eyes at the source and demoted their thread level to 'Low.'

With a slight smile for the advancing humans, she lowered herself down on her knees. She had made her first move. It was now up to them to make a mistake. A mistake she would most certainly exploit. She watched as they slowly advanced, weapons drawn at her.

"Alenko, Stevens!" Cameron presumed to be the leader of the unit commanded out. The two specialists turned and heard. "hang back you two, the rest of you move in!"

Cameron examined the two specialists, marking them a persons of interest as they fell back behind the infantry. She would keep on eye on them. If worse came to worse, they would be her primary target in disabling.

"Michaels," The Major said in a steady tone, staring at Cameron as if daring her to move, "read them their rights and cuff them."

One of the marines nodded curtly and stepped forward of his unit, his eyes traveled over Cameron's naked body slowly before stating. "You've been found trespassing in a Systems Alliance military complex, you are under arrest."

"What year is it?" She asked calmly, hoping to catch the human by surprise. It didn't work, the marine continued rattling on about the "System's Alliance" and "Council Species."

"What year is it? " Cameron repeated again, getting no where with him. The soldier was close enough now. Now was her chance. Cameron fell on her chest and kicked her leg out, tripping the man to the ground. inside a moment, she was back up and standing at her full height. She looked in mild surprise at the unit, the men were laughing at their comrade's humiliation. They had no idea who or what they were dealing with. It was arrogance and she would take advantage of that as well.

Michaels was back up now, his expression livid as he dropped his cuffs. He was no longer concerned about arresting her. He wanted his pride back. He charged her, his fist in front of his face as he charged. The woman did not flinch at the sight of a two hundred pound marine charging her.

Nor did she flinch as her head absorb the punch. What did happen was both Cameron and the Marine heard the sound of a sharp crack at the sound of broken bone. Every joint and finger, even the hand itself was broken. Cameron turned her head back slowly, narrowing her eyes, her look dangerous.

"Christ!" Servicemen Michaels roared out, clutching his now broken hand. He did not notice Cameron was standing now in a defensive position. By the time he noticed, it was too late.. Cameron pulled the soldiers injured arm back hard, snapping it in several places, With a riot kick to the chest, the human went flaying in the air and hitting his back against the tree. Cameron looked up to the rest of the soldiers, tilting her head.

The soldiers were no longer laughing.

"Non Lethal only!" Screamed the Major as he noticed all his other men raise their weapons at the woman. "NON LETHAL ONLY!"

Cameron ignored the rest of the men. Casually she walked towards the injured Marine who was now trying to crawl away from her. his head turned to her revealing that his eyes were full of terror. She had no plan on terminating the human. But he had a weapon and a weapon against a dozen marines ordered not to hurt her would be a useful advantage.

"Oh shit...nooo," Michaels moaned as he turned back and drug himself through the dirt and grass, Cameron close behind him. "don't don't kill me, please!

"Gunny!" Cameron made out over the moan, "take Morelli and Hendrickson! Move in! take the bitch down!"

The Sergeant and his two men armed with batons, Charged her as fast as they could. Cameron looked up from Micheals and moved to intercept them. She faintly detected the physical stimuli of the NCO's baton hitting her in stomach. In a split seconds reaction she looked back up and smashed her elbow into his nose, breaking it and splattering blood over the NCO's subordinates. With a shattering punch to the ribcage, Cameron dropped the man in two hits.

The man with Nordic features swung his own baton fiercely at the nude woman, spitting out a curse or two at her. Cameron crossed her arms into an X as the baton landed its blow. In a split second her hands reached down, grabbing the club and using it to smash in the marine's kneecap. Cameron grabbed the back of the Marne's neck and rammed his face into the dirt.

All of the sudden she got an alert, something jabbing into her back like a cold knife, The Female looked around. there in her back was the tasers needlelike probes. She looked up to find it belonging to the third marine, a female pointing at her menacingly.

"One move and I fry your ass bitch!" She shouted out, trying to get her nerves steady to make her feel more confident. Engaging the naked woman who crippled three men without blinking.

Cameron tilted her head and turned around, just as she was about to rip the wires out the marine hit her with a sudden, shocking burst of 75,000 volts. Cameron stood in places, her motorized joints seized up for the surge, her head however staring at her. With great effort, she wrapped her hands around the cord and pulled it from the weapon, breaking it.

"Taser ineffective!" The Soldier called out as her eyes widened at the sight of Cameron dashing at her, "OH FUCK!"

The soldier felt strong hands wrap around her neck like a steel vice. Her eyes widened in as she felt the oxygen being cut off from her brain. She flayed her body unsuccessfully, hoping to hurt he, her eyes dimmed, her ears no longer able to interact the screg from her comrades, begging Cameron to let her go.

Connor lifted the half conscious woman easily and hurtled her in the air towards the unit, landing hard on the right flank, her body weight knocking down three of the men down. Cameron turned back to Micheals, her body billowing smoke from her burnt black skin. Slowly, she bent over the marine and pulled up his exotic looking assault rifle. She looked it over briefly, the weapon was surprisingly light, after a quick examination, she noted that it had no visible clip insertion, besides a strange luminescent sphere on the side.

Cameron raised the rifle at the marines. No more games, it was time to take down the unit. It was time to get John out of here. She looked up. The Commander seemed to have been thinking on the same line as her.

"TAKE HER DOWN," The Major roared out no longer able to use any more less then lethal approaches now that the girl was directly threatening his men "TAKE HER DOWN!"

They didn't need to be told twice.

One of the soldiers fired a burst, catching Cameron in the leg and where her abdomen was supposed to be located. The surprising force from the rounds forcing her to stagger and nearly collapse. In return the girl reaffirmed her posture and marched at them, her now rifle raised.

She made her first shot, shooting her attacker in the knee, dropping him to the ground, Cameron caught several rounds into her chest, forcing a step back momentarily, but she shrugged off the critical damage alerts and pressed on, shooting the nearly recoilless rifle's rounds into non critical injury zones. Hands legs and feet. She had no plan on killing government soldiers. Their death would be questioned and investigated. John and her would have to run, wherever they could.

The resistance fell apart and soon Cameron was approaching the commanding officer. The human was backing away fro her, drawing out what looked a sidearm.

"What are you?" He roared as he fired his pistol at her. Most of the shots were sloppy from fear and missing her completely. The moment she reached arms length she reached out and smacked the handgun out of the officer's hand, dropping the sidearm to the ground.

With a backhand across the face, the unit was officially disabled for combat. Except for two. Stevens and Alenko, as Cameron recalled as she scooped up the Handgun and ran back to John's side. Quickly she dropped to her knee and rolled him over.

"Seems a future jump hasn't affected you in the slightest." John quipped, a slight devilish smirk just for her. She liked it. If she was human, she determined that in all likelihood, she would have melted. But she wasn't. She was a machine, an efficient killing machine.

"It's safe now." Cameron murmured as he pressed the gun to John's hand as the cries in pain echoed in the background. Gently she kissed her husbands forehead and was about to lift him back up when she heard it, a footstep, a twig breaking, and another footstep.

Cameron pushed John down under the long grass and stood up, Assault rifle raised and locked on to the approaching man. He took notice and stopped, raising his hand up.

"Easy now," the soldiers raspy voice called out, attempting for peace, "I know that you don't want to really hurt anyone. My name is Kaidan Alenko. I just want to talk...look, I'm putting my gun down, let's talk alright?"

Cameron watched as the soldier named Kaidan showed his pistol to her and tossed it always from him, a symbolic gesture of peace. Cameron held the rifle up at the Alliance soldier for several more seconds before lowering the barrel of the weapon to the earth.

"What about?"

Kaidan let out a breath of relief and smiled at her awkwardly.

"What's your name Miss? what are you doing out here." He asked the woman casually, edging towards her, one step at a time, "were you skinny dipping with your boyfriend and we caught you?"

Cameron glared at him and his attempt at humor. Kaidan took a step back and chuckled nervously. this woman was not looking for any lightening of the situation.

"Okay, not a time for jokes, I understand." Kaidan stated diplomatically "Still, I need a name Miss.."

"Cameron, and John is my husband." She decided to allow, it seemed that he was genuinely attempting open dialog with her, perhaps he could be convinced to allow them an escape. **  
**

"What year is it?" Cameron queried from Alenko before he could say anything, tilting her head to one side. Kaidan chuckled briefly but realized she was being serious, something he came to believe was her only trait.

"For humanity I gather?" Kaidan guessed, earning a nod from Cameron, "August 2185... I take it you haven't been in human space for a while?"

August 2185, Weaver sent them 167 years into the future, they had a date now, but no reason as to why she would have done this. Cameron looked up to Alenko and nodded blankly. Not sure of what to make of the question he posed to her.

"No, we haven't." Cameron agreed before posing a question of her own. "Why are we being apprehended? We haven't done anything wrong that we know of."

Kaidan shrugged, baffled as much as she was had she been human.

"I'm not sure either," He returned softly, turning back to look at his injured comrades in arms before looking back to notice Cameron was looking at the wounded as well, regret present in her expression "it's been classified Cameron, but you are on Alliance military restricted area. that by itself s going to get you in trouble."

"What facility?" She questioned again, dropping her rifle even lower.

"You're about a click outside Fort Serrano Point R&D facility." Kaidan returned, taking a deep breath as he noticed that her posture lacked slightly, He turned his attention inwards he had a plan, not very good plan. But as his old commander once said, 'a shit plan was better than nothing.'

Serrano point? The nuclear plant was still being used by the present day goverment? Strange, dangerous place to locate an R&D Faci-

Cameron looked up. Her sensors picking up an unusual reading permeating from Kaidan's body. Something was very wrong with him, or...this was his way on taking her down, his way of bringing them in. She raised the assault rifle up, aiming the barrel at his face. Kaidan widened his eyes and stepped back. He was caught.

"Hey Hey Hey!" Kaidan Alenko shouted out, raising his hands, appealing to her shrinking rationality "I thought we agreed to no more shooting, I'm your friend here Cameron! I can make sure they don't harm the two of you. "

"I detect unusual energy spikes emitting from various sections of your cerebral cortex. You are lying." Cameron accused, taking a step forward, her finger squarely over the trigger now.

"For clarification, I kill liars." She stated coldly with a death glare for the human.

In a split second, Kaidan's hand was raised at her, his body emitting in a violently illuminatingly blue, it was sloppy looking, like it was a blunt or a primitive weapon. Kaidan's body shook and the blue energy emitted from his hands, the focus point of this weapon.

The energy hit her, catching her off guard at the force it had. The blue energy rolled over her and forced a step back and the weapon in his hand flew back in recoil. She attempted to move but failed, her body was now completely immobilized, right down to her eyes. How was this at all possible? Cameron fell deep into herself, it was time for a solution  
_  
WARNING... Immobilized by unknown phenomenon_

_Course of action, terminate source...APPROVED: Focus all energy into raising Primary armament,_

_Objective: Terminate Subject Kaidan Alenko, Staff Commander._

_Total energy resources from primary and secondary fuel cells diverted to right appendage and digits for objective completion._

Cameron managed to wrench her head down, looking at the arm. Slowly, she pressed all of her energy into the arm. It worked, her arm managed to move a centimeter upwards. again she worked and wretched it upwards. It worked again. Slowly she turned her head back up to look at Alenko. He was frightened, absolutely frightened.

"STEVENS,WHERE ARE YOU?" he shouted out to the direction of a man hutched over checking over the wounded marines. The man known as Stevens nodded so Kaidan turned back.

He worked all his own energy, focusing on maintaining the field over the woman, but it wasn't working. Her leg moved into a shooting position. How was this possible? How did she do it? Kaidan felt the sweat dripping down his face. He couldn't hold her for long. this thought was accentuated by her arm now moving again.

"Stevens!" Alenko cried out again, this time much weaker, doing all he could to keep her from raising that weapon any higher "Stevens...She's breaking through the Stasis she's too powerful for me..hu...hurry."

"Found what I need!" Stevens called back and ran to his side, a plasma scalpel in his hand, "Lower the field around her head, I need access!"

Alenko obliged and lowered the stasis field around Cameron's head, She turned her head, narrowing the eyes at Stevens who had ran to her side. Stevens grabbed her hair, attempting to pull her head to the side, his plasma scalpel pressed against the scalp covering her CPU port. The moment he was done he dropped the scalpel and rather undignified, scooped his hand into the incision and pulled up the flesh with a loud slurping noise. with shaky fingers, they gripped around the pull-tab of the CPU.

Cameron widened her eyes as she felt the herself being twisted out of the safety lock. She was going to be deactivated. No, it could not happen, not when John needed her. That was her excuse, that John needed her. John was strong, he didn't need her protection like he use to. No, this was personal reasons. Being hard pulled was the eciilant of a coma, or worse. Death. Cameron did not want to die. She wanted John.

"Please," she spoke to him quickly " You don't have to do this, keeping me activated is for the best, John needs me, more then you know..."

Her plea did not work.

"Nightie Night." Stevens returned the plea sarcastically. he pulled the chip.

Cameron's head slumped to the side. She was deactivated, she was no longer a threat to Kaidan and Stevens. with a gasp, Kaidan released the stasis field around Cameron and allowed her body to fall over with a small thud. Stevens walked over to Kaidan, who, himsef had fallen to the round too and opened his hand up, placing Cameron's processor in his hand. He turned back and silently went to work checking over the various wounds Cameron had sustained.

"What...What is that thing?" Kaidan asked as he examined the chip in his shaking hands. Slowly he stood back up, swaying in place. He got no answer, at least not for a few minutes after the question was asked.  
**  
**"Advanced Cybernetic organism." Stevens explained as he stood up and pulled off his helmet, rubbing his hair. "Kinda like the geth, only much stronger. Made of some sort of high density hyperalloy it would seem."

"Wait, you're thinking she's like geth or something." Kaidan asked, hoping to Christ his worse fears came true, a geth human infiltrator. Thankfully however, Stevens shook his head in dismissal.

"No, not at all." Stevens countered, taking a step forward "she has to be human made, the geth just don't have the time, desire or need for an infiltrator of this standard."

"I think I know who made her." Kaidan murmured, closing his eyes and hating his one word answer. "Cerberus."

Cerberus, the bastards who know controlled his former commander, his...his friend. through guilt, through a false sense of duty. Alenko had no idea what Shepard's relationship was to the organization; But he felt a twinge of regret, He was too emotional, he did not listen to anything the Commander said, and now it was too late Shepard took off, his war against the collectors raging on.

"They seem like a likely candidate," Stevens agree, glancing back at Cameron and breaking Kaidan from his musings, "A megalomaniac with limitless financial means to achieve any possible edge over the non human species, and giving what they've done to you old Commander, Shepard. It would seem that they made her t-"

Kaidan heard the a small whine and then the barking noise of three shots erupt from behind Stevens. The first shot entered and exited through Stevens abdomen, the second, breaking through his spine and blowing a hole through his heart, the third and final round connecting Stevens head dropping him and spraying Kaidan with blood.

"STEVENS, NO!"

It was too late for him. The engineers corpse was on the ground, twitching from the nerves contracting and releasing. Alenko fell to his knees nearly vomited at the sight. He looked up and there he was, the one Cameron referred to as John. He was standing there, an Alliance standard issue heavy pistol pointing at him menacingly. John looked like a demon, completely unfazed by his nudity and the murder he had committed

"YOU BASTARD! Why in the HELL did you kill him!" Kaidan nearly raged out, wanting so bad to hurt the man but no longer able to. His pistol was too far away and his Biotics worn out from the sheer intensity of trying to keep Cameron from raising her weapon and holding her in place.

"Give her back or you're next you stupid fuck." John returned, his voice devoid of emotion. Slowly, he limped over to Cameron, weapon still raised at his enraged foe.

Kaidan stared at the murderer before looking down at the central processing unit in his hands. He thought briefly about crushing it, destroying it to spite that bastard who was ready to execute him. Slowly he looked back up into John's menacing eyes.**  
**  
"I'm not giving you anything, put down the gun Or..."

"Or what?" John spat out jeeringly "If you crack her, I swear to almighty CHRIST, I'll hunt down your goddamn family and make them all swallow a fucking bullet each!"

Kaidan flinched. He couldn't help it. The threat against his family scaring him.

"Now give me back my FUCKING CAMERON or else I'll make your life a living hell!" Connor commanded like he was a General. This was it. Kaidan knew it, John knew it. John was about to end his life.

He wanted her back. Now.

Two hissing noises came from over Kaidan's shoulder and a growl in anger emitted from John as he fell to his knees and looked down. in his chest were two darts. Two darts pumping a chemical agent into his blood. John fell on to the ground and winced as he pulled them out. He looked at Kaidan and attempted to stand up only to stumble and land on top of his wife. With a final gasp of fight in him. He raised his weapon up, shaking unsteadily.

He shook his head sloppily and dropped the weapon next to Cameron. "Ah fuck it," Connor slurred out, dropping his head down and nestled Cameron neck "I'll...I'll deal with you later..."**  
**  
He closed his eyes, the drugs taking effect. Kaidan turned back to find the source. It was Major Danvers, he was back up, a tranquilizer pistol in his hands, he was bleeding everywhere but he ignored it all, taking down the target was priority.

"Tranquillizers worked..." The Major murmured, slumping next to Kaidan and wiping the blood off his face. Kaden gave his commanding officer a sideway glance and a brief nod.

"Only on him sir... he killed Stevens, in cold blood." Kaidan returned bitterly, pointing out his expired friend.

"Man and woman have to be ex military, N7's the only explanation." The Major muttered as he tossed a container of his Medi-gel to his Gunny. "It's a goddamn shame about Stevens Commander Alenko, truly, he was brilliant... but today could have been a helluvalot worse. we got the shit knocked out of us by a naked, unarmed girl."

Slowly and unsteadily, the Major stood up and added "Today, the Alliance would have had to send out seventeen condolence letters instead of one."

Alenko nodded. He was right.

"This is Major Danvers," Kaidan faintly heard as he stood up as well and stumbled slowly away. "We need a recovery and medical team at our location. Have the SSV Karkhov ready for departure in three hours."

Kaidan no longer gave a rats ass what Danvers had to say, he reached the unconscious form of Cameron the machines husband, John. Kaidan stared at the man without any feelings left in him, he was completely numb as a thought came to him.

He killed Stevens for her. Stevens endangered the 'life' of his wife, so John took action. Kaidan shook his head in denial and grabbed it with a hiss. His implant migraines were flaring up again. partly from biotic excretion, partly because of the new terrible thought he had.

If he were in John's shoes, he would have done the exact same...

**...**

**

* * *

...  
**

**Well, That was the first Chapter. I have a few things I'd like to clear the air before let you go.**

**1/ This story is NOT priority: That falls to my other story; 'Rampancy.' I have one more chapter in that story before done. It is, unlikely, at best that this stories follow up chapter to this will come before the ending of the other story. This isn't to say it won't come out What I am asking for is a bit of patience..**

**2/ because this story is a crossover I will be moving it to the crossover section in exactly one week after release. I hope to see you all there!**

**Okay, finally I'd like to thank ElusiveSanity for her outstanding beta work and her patience with me badgering her a day after I give her a nearly sixteen thousand word completely unproofread document. Thank you so much for the assistance and I hope you're up for continuing to help this very incompetent writer out :p**

**Bye for now**

**DarkDanny**


	2. The Morning After

**_Hey there, another chapter is here, yay! _**

**...**

* * *

**...**

**Chapter Two: The Morning After**

...

What a Goddamn nightmare.

How in the hell did he get contracted by the Queen Bitch herself was beyond his comprehension. One thing was for certain however. When Weaver wanted something done, she sure as hell wasn't going to dick around with hiring shit Merc groups to get the job done, she hired only the best.

The best was him. Zaeed Massani. The galaxies goddamn greatest mercenary in his own humble opinion.

Call him arrogant, he didn't give two shits when it was the truth. None of his marks got off scotfree. Half the fuckers in the Terminus Systems knew that when he was called in then they knew shit was stepped up notch.

But that was the Terminus Systems, an area of the galaxy known for it's lawlessness and disregard for morality. He was now operating in the Council Space. The one place Zaeed found himself stepping through carefully. Attacking a warship on it's home turf, you had to have a real pair of balls to do that.

He nodded briefly as he passed by the rooks he hired, distractions really. Bullet magnets if he was to be technical. They'd give him time and a sufficient to grab his targets and get the hell out with little or no engagement. He loved a good fight, but there was a time and a place for that, and rescuing Cerberus fugitives from an Alliance marine force just didn't bode well for a fight. He needed them alive, not riddled full of holes.

Cameron and John Connor. A married couple according to Weaver. According to the file he had, Johnny boy did some work for one of the Cerberus cells or some shit. Apparently he didn't agree with it so he shot them down. Been running ever since.

Not that he could blame the son of a bitch, not when this pretty little thing called Cameron was the project. Kidnapped when she was 4 and turned into a goddamn killing machine. Sounded like a shitty sounding action/romance Vid to him. Boy meets killing machine girl, boy falls in love with killing machine girl, boy rebels and takes the killing machine girl.

While Massani hated the idea of dealing with these people. He couldn't help but shake this pity her felt for the girl. Zaeed had a motto few ever knew of. _"Nothing is off limits. Except children."_

And God help anyone who didn't heed his motto.

Silently Zaeed strolled onto the bridge, one hand a crate full of heat clips. The other carrying his trusty M8 Avenger assault rifle. He found that his pilot was sitting there puffing on a cigarette. Zaeed shook his head. As useful as Anton Maklakov was. He was a class A jackass in Zaeed's Massani's Big Book of Assholes; through and through. But he was as close to a friend as Zaeed ever had.

"You certain the target will come through this way?" Anton called out as he exhaled softly, giving the mercenary an uncompromising look. Zaeed looked up from loading his bandoleir with Heat clips , Slinging his rifle over his back. Anton was curious. Queen Bitch herself had informed him that there were to be complete secrecy.

Fuck her and her secrecy, this was his mission, he'd give whatever info he saw fit.

"That's right," He returned briskly, "our friend in the Navigation room has set a course for an intercept."

"Shit Zaeed, this is an Alliance military vessel we're taking about." Anton protested furiously. "What does your contractor want from you? attack it, spring some criminals and escape unscathed?"

"I never said it was going to be a goddamn cake walk." Zaeed snarled at the pilot, taking a hard seat in the Co-pilot seat and slamming his boots onto it's terminal and ignoring his friends protests as he gruffly added. "My contractor I have a plan develop-"

"A plan I have yet to hear." Anton interjected grudgingly.

"Maybe if you stopped interrupting me for once in your goddamn life I could tell you, you daft fuck." Massani shot back, venom dripping from his words.

Satisfied that Anton had decided to shut his fucking trap and was now listening, Zaeed, reached into his armor and pulled out what looked like two Optical Storage Devices. The first one which he showed off was looked standard to Anton. The other beyond his comprehension, it looked expensive as hell.

"This OSD contains an emergency distress beacon the Alliance uses." Explained Zaeed, showing off the ordinary Storage device. "It's a signal only the Corsairs use, they're the buggers who use Independent Ships to lure pirates into attacking." Zaeed added as the Anton looked confused at the term 'Corsair;' "Ship Officers in the Alliance know that this signal is not to be ignored. Means the vessel in trouble has vital info."

Anton dabbed out his cigarette and crossed his arms.

"Okay, so we trick the frigate in to saving us from a total system failure, then what?" Anton questioned incredulously from Zaeed's gaping holes in his plan, "The frigate has kinetic barriers, FTL communication, a close quarters weapon systems that'll blow my bird into fifty styles of fucked up and 20 odd goddamn marines waiting for you in the cargo hold."

"You don't have a chance Zaeed, no matter how good a merc you are." The Russian concluded, "It be safer to do a damn jail breakout then a ship to ship boarding."

Zaeed stared at the pilot hard wanting so much to hurt him. Slowly, he took a deep breath. He rose the second OSD up.

"Our Employer gave us a gift."

The way Zaeed carried it was different, it was like he was worried to damage what it was. Anton concluded it was of extreme value to Zaeed and to the employer.

"What is it?" He finally asked, his question garnering him a creepy half smirk from Zaeed's mutilated face.

"Our ace in the hole."

...

* * *

...

"_Where am I.."  
_  
John opened his eyes and coughed violently, He felt sick as a dog from the chemicals he vaguely recalled being pumped into his blood stream. The first thing he noticed was how bright the room was. It was a sterilized room. John looked around and noticed a shimmering blue field around the doorway.

It was a cell, at least thats what he figured it to be. He was under arrest, how in the hell did this happen he was still uncertain of. Slowly, the General crawled out of his bed and stretched, The sound of a low rumble was the noise that greeted him, like the vessel he witnessed roared over his head.

He turned around, noticing a port. Slowly he hobbled over, faintly noticing that his legs were working 100 percent. But that didn't concern him as his mouth slowly dropped open. He was greeted by Stars, stars and nebulae he had never dreamed of seeing from the hellish world he came from. He was staring into the cosmic abyss.

He was in space, he was in fucking outer space.

"Hello," The woman called out softly, Causing John to break his trance. "I'm Audrina, I'm the SSV Kharkov chief physician, how is your leg feeling sir?"

_The ship's chief physician?_ what the fuck was it? some stupid ass TV Sci-fi he watched when he was a kid? John looked around and noticed Cameron wasn't with him. Where was she? what happened to her? Was she okay? Slowly, the question ate away at him. She... She got pulled, pulled forcefully. Was she being tortured through Isolation? was her body being pulled apart by ignorant hands?

"I don't give a FUCK who you are," He suddenly roared at her, tossing the chair in his hell at the energy field surrounding him, "Tell me where she is and I won't break your goddamn neck!"

"I told you he was violently aggressive Lieutenant. Especially if the girl is incapacitated." voice called out from behind the Doctor. John twisted his head around the woman's shoulder and narrowed his eyes at the expected but very unwelcome guest.**  
**  
"You..."

Commander Kaidan Alenko nodded to the prisoner. Clearly not interested in being in close proximity with him. Not that John could blame the dumb ass, John was still looking to kick Alenko's ass.

"Yeah, me."

The Superior officer turned away from the man, he seemed to be clearly disgusted with him. Instead, the commander spoke lowly with the doctor about the incarcerated prisoner, what made him tick, what sort of mental problems he had. It was bullshit. The last straw came when suddenly, the two of them started to laugh.

"You're pretty funny you know that?" John stated with a smile as he interrupted the two of them and what he assumed to be flirting, "Come here, I have a joke I wanna tell you Mister Alenko."

Kaidan turned around, focusing his eyes on the murderers smile. Quietly he pushed the Doctor back several steps while he took several steps closer, slowly making his way to the other end of the room. He stopped inches away from the field keep John incarcerated.

John's smile dropped into a death glare.

"When I get out of here, I'm going to tear you a new asshole." He warned in a low growl.

Kaidan took a step backwards and slowly chuckled, sounding almost like a dare to John. With a smile he said "Yeah, that is pretty funny, you're nice and locked up in here. You aren't touching anyone, not after what happened."

Connor smirked slightly. It seemed the man he killed touched a nerve. Admittedly, he had a twinge of regret. The man didn't at all need to die. It was more of a matter of addressing a point he needed to make. No one fucked with his wife. Never, not when there ws a breath in his tired body.

"Well that's the thing, Alenko." Connor returned, staring hard into the one who helped capture his wife from him, "Its a joke we can both laugh to."

Kaidan stopped laughing as he heard the remark. He looked up and into the solid greens eyes staring at him like he was inches away from killing the Commander. It was the same look in his eyes after he had killed Stevens in cold blood. Kaidan felt a shiver down the back of his spine. Connor was a legitimate threat, even under lock and key.

"Oh?"

"Yeah." John returned leaning close to the barrier, his voice polite as he softly added. "You can laugh now, but when I get out of here, It'll be the one laughing. Cause I'm coming straight for you."

Connor shot Alenko an awful smile and turned away, taking a hard seat down on the bed. Quietly he laid down, deciding to plot his escape, even if it seemed impossible at the time. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Alenko had turned and was leading the doctor out of the room. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He needed a plan.

...

* * *

...

_The atmosphere of the social gathering was a cheerful one, full of civilian executives, Alliance officials, Men and women for the military and dignitaries from the turians, salarians and asari people were there for the celebration. It was a major step in a more cordial relationship between two former enemies. The turians and the humans._

_That major step was the SSV SR1 Normandy. A prototype human/turian Frigate. together hidden away in Perth Australia, the joint design team slaved many months over the design of the vessel. and now here it was. The Normandy was stationed in Norfolk Shipyard, Virgina, just waiting to be taking on it's first shakedown run._

_But that was over two thousand kilometers away. No, tonight the gala affair was tucked away in Havana, Cuba, the jewel city of the Caribbean._

_He had just turned away from chatting with his new subordinate officer, the extremely green or incredibly naive Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko. Shepard was in a bad need for a drink at this moment, having gone dry nearly 15 minutes ago. So he politely excused himself from Alenko and the fascinating doctor who went by Chakwas, the newly designated ships doctor. He made his way over to the bar Politely saluting his CO, Captain David Anderson and his wife and daughter._

_David Anderson, you don't put men like that on shakedown runs._

_He waved two fingers in the air to the bartender as he reached the bar and sat down, murmuring 'whiskey' which earned nod and a glass placed in front of him. Quietly he watched the amber liquid flow into his glass. Shepard nodded and rose the glass up, sipping it and enjoyed the solace of being out of the crowd._

_XO of the Normandy... how in the hell did he land such a shit position? He wanted to be on the field, on the front line of some distant colony where he could be left the hell alone, just him. A unit of marines and the knowledge that whoever decided to attack was going to be shot up beyond all recognizing._

_He didn't want to be bothered with roaming the galaxy in a pretty boy vessel. doing photo op and all that crap with Anderson the Alliance hero and training a rook. Shepard sighed an slammed down his drink and ordered number two up. Sure, his plans for his future in the Alliance were FUBAR now. But, you go where you're told to go. He had no choice in the matter._

_Well, he did. But he wasn't about to be classified as a goddamn whiner._

"_Congratulations... Commander."_

_Shepard stiffened up at the voice from his past. Inwardly he groaned as he recalled the last time he heard that voice. It was a week after the Siege of Torfan and that voice was badgering him about his actions, second guessing his leadership skills and the crimes he had committed on the blinks, batarians... The same voice got himself knocked on his ass by Shepard the moment he finished his berating._

_"Thank you Admiral, and Captain I presume." Shepard stated sardonically. He pulled off his officers cap and turned around. There watching him was a seasoned war veteran, in his early fifties and a woman, a few years his junior smiling at the Commander. Her smile was too sweet, too kind. It disgusted him._

"_How are you son." The woman said softly, her diplomatic smile never leaving her expression, "We missed you, so much."_

_The child of the Captain and the Admiral stared at the couple skeptically. After the inquiry the two of them oversaw, attempting to prosecute him for war crimes to appease the more weak stomached species, in particular the asari, who thought the assault and subsequent_ _siege on Torfan and the ultimate massacre he led was criminal, unjustified._

_Fucking A they were justified. Most of his commanders with an exception to a young Major Franklin Kyle thought they were justified. Hell, the turians thought so, the salarians believed it to be justified. But still, this sham of a inquiry occurred, and in command, his freshly promoted father leading the interrogations. Shepard looked up, they weren't leaving. Not a problem, he knew how to get rid of them. Antagonist the pricks. They may have been blood. But they were dead to him, this betrayal wasn't going to be forgiven so easily. Five years wasn't enough._

_"You had five year to ask me how I am and tell me that you missed me, now, get to the point." Shepard shot back, "I'm not some fresh faced little shit straight from the academy, Captain Shepard."_

_Captain Shepard recoiled at the vehemency in her own son's voice. She took a step back in shock, she wondered where her little boy went to._

_"By the way," John deadpanned as he sucked back a quarter glass of whiskey and shook his head, "congrats on the new assignment... The SSV Kilimanjaro... Jesus, who did you have to sleep with to get that posting? Dad?"_

_Captain Shepard looked ready to strike her drunk son for his insolence. She took step forward to strike him and wiping his laughing, mocking smile off his smug face. But the Admiral intervened on behalf of his son._

_"Jack." The Adrimal warned, grabbing his wife's arm firmly and looking up to his son. Shepard ignored the warning, sipping a new glass of whiskey and thinking hard about a possible way to blow the fuckers he called parents off._

_"Commander?" Shepard's ears prickled up at the sound of a wobbly alien language transforming into accentuated English as her words poured through his implanted cochlear translator. Shepard turned and dropped open his mouth._

_"Shepard," She whispered, "I thought you said you would dance with me?"_

_It was her, Tali'Zorah. She stood there in a human designed black cocktail dress. Considering quarians no longer had tailors of their own, she must have had to improvise, settle for alien attire, not that it looked bad on her... Shepard grinned at her, the urge for sex rising. His parents on the other had were aghast. The prospect of a pixielike, purple skinned girl with bright eyes was looking at their son in such a way surprising them._

"_Who the hell is she, and why isn't she in an environmental suit?" His mother demanded, not so much out of racism but more at the absurdity of a quarian skipping around a room full of people and not even looked ill from the collective bacteria from everyone._

_Shepard ignored the woman, instead, he focused on the gorgeous little thing that was all his. He stood up, slowly stepping towards the young woman. he begun noticing details about her. She was biting on her lip with her elongated canine tooth. her hands were squirming slightly in her customary nervousness._

_To be frank, she looked utterly fuckable right now. Usually he didn't think like that about members of the opposite sex he found attractive, but he had a few drinks in him now, plus he knew Tali was in the same mind frame at the moment. Those wide glazed over luminescent eyes told him so._

_"Where in the hell have you been my whole life?" Shepard breathed softly, his anger dissapiptating. Like it always did whenever she entered the room, Tali merely smiled and closed her eyes as she felt his hands roll down her sides and rest on her hips._

_"Waiting for you John," Tali returned, touching his chest and brought her lips to hism softly adding, "may I?"_

_With a slight smile and ignoring his parents confused looks, he leaned forward and brought his lips to hers-_

...

Shepard opened his eyes. What in the hell was that?

Christ, he should have stopped drinking when he was in Afterlife. The memories frayed their way through inflamed neural pathways as he recalled everything. Talking and chumming it up Aria T'Loak, who turned out to be very nice person, at least when her entourage was out of an earshot.

Sure, when one of the asari dancers made a mistake and tried to entice the older woman with a lap dance she nearly smacked the hell out of her. But Shepard figured she probably had it coming to her.

Aria demanded perfection and professionalism. Shepard could respect that, he on the other hand wasn't able to do that. Years doing grunt work in the marines until his battlefield promotion on Torfan made him more wanting to be the common soldier's commander. He knew what went on in the trenches and so long as his men were respectful, he would be quite casual, maybe too casual at times.

Shepard blinked as he felt a surprisingly strong grip of hands, clutching his waist. He looked down and smiled. A grand total of six fingers were holding him like he would never come back to her. Tali'Zorah was in his bed. Shepard wasn't about to complain or wake her up. She needed rest and a part of him wanted her to be nearly, possessive of him.

For a woman who was too nervous to dance with him last night, this certainly seemed like she was learning to be selfish. He smiled slightly and nestled himself in closer, not at all minding being the bitch in the cuddling. Together they laid there in silence. The suit he was so close to was surprisingly thin. He could feel her. Her breasts buried into his back, her heart thumping soothingly, her moaning in her sleep.

Shepard blinked. Moaning in her sleep?

"_Urgent message from the Illusive man, he requires your presence in the communication center_."

EDI...shit.

Shepard stored the curiosity of Tali's obviously good dream and groaned as he gently moved the arms he was entangled in off his body and sat up. Slowly and deliberately, he crawled off the bed and stood up, he looked at the source of the voice and glared at being disturbed.

"How urgent?" He demanded from the artificial intelligence

_"Priority." _Was it's reply.

Shepard rolled his eyes, talking to the Illusive Man wasn't something he ever looked forward to. The problem with the man wasn't because he was fundamentally against him. His policy of making sure humanity had a secret defender was something he also respected. So long as the leader wasn't a using his platform of advancement as simple dominance over the other species, he and the the Illusive Man would get along just fine.

His problem with Cerberus laid more inside with the fact that he was too much like them then he ever wanted to admit. At least that was the case when he came back from Torfan until his service on the Normandy, full of superiority and feeling that humanity was the best thing that happened to the galaxy since the Mass Relays.

He didn't want to be that Shepard anymore, hard and uncompromising to anyone and everything. He didn't want to be like his controllers, not anymore. Cooperation over aggressiveness, inclusion over exclusion. He just wanted to be a good person, for the sake of himself. For the sake of the galaxy.

For Tali's sake. If he had a chance with her, he had to be a good man, for her.

"Alright." He finally muttered, he glanced over to Tali and briskly added, "EDI?"

"_Yes Commander Shepard?"  
_  
Shepard smiled slightly to himself.

"Lock the door behind me." He ordered, maintaining his eye over the sleeping quarian's form, hidden under his blankets, "Tali needs to recover so tell her that sleeping is an order understood? Tell her...tell her I should been back inside fifteen minutes if she wakes up."

"_Acknowledged."_

With one last look and sigh, Shepard turned and headed toward his elevator. Quietly he pulled himself inside the elevator and hit the second deck button. As the doors closed he waited as the elevator descended. He wiped his face and thought once more about the woman in his bed.

This wasn't healthy, thinking so hard for Tali. Maybe Yeoman Chambers was correct, Maybe Kasumi Goto was right.

"_Tali is sooo cute. You're all she talks about in that sweet Rainbows and butterflies kinda way; She loves you Shepard. Be good to her."_

Tali was in love, at least, that's what everyone around him saw it as. How did he not notice back while they were chasing Saren Arterius across the galaxy, the way she hung off every word, the looks she gave him. Back then he was figuring she was scared by him, she looked reproachful of his attitude to the aliens they encountered on their mission. Not...Not attracted to him.

Sure, he had liked her. In his time on the Normandy, he begun to grow find, even enjoyed the company of the aliens. He even defended them. Not that he had a problem with them in the first place, they weren't like the blinks, the batarians. You didn't see a Tali slaving humans or Liara T'Soni experimenting on his kind.

Liara. Jesus, what a mess that'll be. He was getting a migraine just thinking about it.

"Oh hi there Liara." He said to himself, "Guess what? I'm completely stir crazy for a girl who'll never be able to escape the confides of an environmental suit."

"Oh really now John, that is a most interesting development." John replied to himself, mimicking his old flames formal voice, "I hope you don't mind it if I melt your brain with my biotics. I'm sure you understand, you space gypsy loving, enviro-suitphile freak."

Shepard shook his head tenderly as the words of Goto's and his own bumbling insanity from the hangover looped in his head. With a yawn he exited the lift and looked around. Skeleton crew tonight. everyone eating or resting. Good. Slowly Shepard staggered to the to door of the science lab. Perhaps Doctor Solus was on duty, working like a maniac as always.

His guess was confirmed, Sure enough Mordin Solus was at his station, Working at tremendous speeds as usual. Shepard had to hand it to Mordin. Mordin was the first salarian John had ever found to gain his personal friendship. salarians were short lived by human standards, living to be forty human years compared to his up to 150 years.

This made salarians in general to be rush, rush, rush and far too observational for his liking. They sure were good scouts to have on your side in an engagement, but having them as personal friends was difficult. They didn't have the concept of modesty or tact like many other species had, and if they did, they sure weren't using it.

Mordan looked up and formed an enthusiastic smile for his leader. Shepard nodded his head.

"Mordin?" He sleepily inquired.

"Shepard! heard of violent altercation's with Operative Lawson...thought you would need this." Mordin held up a bluish vial of something he concocted. "Best consumed as you wake up, no need to ask, it's a chemical stimulant used to end hangover, should make brain cool down, more functional, have it in working condition inside five minutes...ten minutes taking your cybernetics into account."

Shepard put up his hand, pausing the scientist from making a through explanation of what he was prescribing.

"Thanks Mordan" Shepard finally said, groggy but otherwise alert for his upcoming encounter, "not needed but thanks, I think I'm just going to sleep this off, besides, The boss is waiting to talk."

Mordin widened his already bulging eyes.

"Ah yes, the Illusive Man." Mordin returned nodding his head and moving back to his terminal, "well don't let me keep you waiting and try not to provoke, wouldn't want him to revoke the ship, or your life in that matter."

Shepard started to belly laugh but stopped as he felt his head feel like it was about to burst from the dozens of nails hammered through it.

"Like to see him try," Shepard concluded, making his way to the communication room, "thanks for the concern Doctor."

"No thanks necessary Commander, what I do." Mordin returned not looking up. He was now falling back into his work once again, "Would be an interesting confrontation. Unlikely to occur.."

...

* * *

...

Slowly the crystal clear image of the Illusive man appeared, he was in his office overlooking the artificial star. In the center of the room he stood there, Well dressed and staring at the Spectre imperiously. Slowly, the man took a step forward, the star illumniating him like he was surrounded by hellfire.

"Shepard," The Illusive Man greeting cordially. "Nice to see you awake, from what I heard from your XO; Seems you had an interesting night. I trust you're feeling relatively clear headed to listen?"

"Shoot."

Illusive Man looked down and swirled his drink before he looked up and sipped the brandy in his glass. Shepard shuffled in place. The theatrics of this man starting to annoy him. He could see it's purpose, it gave a sort of aura of superiority, it was meant to be used for intimidation. It worked too, Shepard was a brave man, but he knew you didn't need physical strength to be intimidating. The Illusive Man message was quite clear.

It stated, 'Do not fuck with me.'

"Very good," The Illusive Man stated, a ghost of smile for his investment, "I'll make this brief, I wouldn't want to keep your companion waiting."

John tightened his hands into fists, the asshole must have had listening devces in his room, or spoke to EDI or Miranda, probably Miranda, heartless, gutless bitchwhore...

"Shepard there was a breakthrough last night;" Illusive Man started once more, smirking at the reaction Shepard gave, "an old friend of mine made contact last night. She is offering to give you resources in the form of manpower for the mission. It's an offer I know you won't refuse."

"And the catch?"

"No catch."

Shepard blinked, the prospect of free help completely foreign to him. He looked up and found the Illusive man's back was turned to him, it seemed he was getting refill. Something Shepard really, really wanted as well.

"She has to have an angle." The Commander commented, not liking this new development at all.

"Of course she does," Illusive Man confirmed as he turned back and took a long drag from his cigarette, adding as he exhaled, "I trust Catherine Weaver about as much as you trust me. The thing is she's useful to us as a friend rather than an enemy."

Shepard crossed his arms and smirked.

"Kinda like us?"

The Illusive Man merely chuckled his humorless laugh. "Yes, I suppose that would be a good analogy. However, I do know that there is a condition that must be met."

Shepard narrowed his eyes at him, "Oh? and What's that exactly?"

"You are to divert course to Noveria this moment." was his reply. "She's expecting you as soon as you can be there; Catherine Weaver has expressed an interest in meeting you and your entire team before you head out with a number of her valuable assets."

"Can't do it." Was all Shepard's response was. Brisk, to the point, excatly what he wanted to convey.

"Ah, yes, Miranda informed me about the quarian situation." Illusive man confirmed, looking slightly disgruntled at his investments stubbornness, "Miss Zorah will have to wait until after the meeting to see to her charges. From what I'm aware of quarian law; The accused is given some tenancy as to when it begins, it should not be a big concern."

Shepard stepped forward, while he was surprised at his knowledge of quarian law and order, he was still ready to tear through the idea the Illusive man put forward. However before he could the Illusive man rose his hand, silencing Shepard's protest.

"Spare me the insolence," He continued, dabbing out his cigarette and and pulling another one out of an expensive looking case, "I know that you would rather have the trial the focal point of your attention, for the sake of your... _friend_, you'd want to take this burden off her."

Illusive man paused, lighting one of his cigarettes and giving Shepard a chance to contemplate how much stress the proponent of humanities interest had on the word 'friend.'

"But I implore you too tell her and ask for her patience," Illusive man concluded, his smirk gone and a serious look replaced it. "This Weaver affair is far, far too important to give up, you and I both know that, even if your loyalty to Miss Zorah is absolute."

John inhaled. his mind went to work over what was at stake. Tali had told him that the trial wasn't a formal thing, there was no set date, but rather a generous timeframe for the accused to show up in. The Illusive Man was right. As much as he needed to help this woman who was his best friend out, the Weaver offer was too valuable to pass up.

"I understand, I'll ask her, but no promises." The Commander finally spoke. His reluctant confirmation earned him an appraising nod.

"That's all I'd ask of you. Have a good rest." The Illusive man returned, getting ready to kill the feed. He paused and looked up to Shepard whose back was turned to him.

"Oh and Shepard, one more small detail."

John paused and turned back around to face the mysterious man.

"Weaver requires the presence of Kasumi Goto." The Illusive Man started as he sipped his brandy, "Miss Goto will not go unless you demand it. Make sure she comes with you, her and Miss Weaver have some unfinished business."

Shepard glared at the son of a bitch bearer of bad news.

"If Kasumi is in any danger I sure as hell won't bring her along with me." Shepard shot back, "she's a member of my crew and I will not let her get caught up in the past."

"This isn't negotiable Shepard," Shepard's employer stated, his tone clearly stating his position as much as his words did, "She isn't in trouble, in fact she did nothing wrong. It's the crimes of her former partner, one Kenji Okuda, whom she has to answer to unfortunately."

There was a staring contest between the two of them. However, Shepard relented, deciding to appease him.

"I'll talk to her," Shepard repeated the same promise as he had for Tali, "I'm not making promises either."

The Illusive Man observed the expression on the Commanders face for several long seconds. Finally with a low sigh, he waved his hand. He was dismissing Shepard like a child.

"Weaver has assured me no harm will come to the girl." He concluded, "I may not trust her in the bigger picture sense, but when she offers her word so early in the play, then I know she's telling the truth, at least for now. Until next time Shepard."

Shepard watched as the image of the Illusive Man's office dissipated and found himself back in the communication center.

He looked around and with a slight groan thanks to his headache, he left out the corridor way to the armory. He was not looking forward to his conversation with Tali, while he knew that the outcome would be in favor of the mission. It didn't make it right. He just hoped Tali wouldn't miss her trial from this incident.

"EDI, Have Joker punch in the coordinates to The Horsehead Nebula, Noveria is our destination. Continue course until I state otherwise."  
_  
"Understood Commander, relaying message now."_

"Why the change in direction Shep?"

Shepard nearly jumped in place and turned to find none other then Kasumi Goto, sitting on one of the armories table, and apple being tosses up and down in the air like a ball. On her face was that mischievous little smile she had whenever she was caught doing something not very good.

"Not that I'm complaining," Kasumi tacked on as she took a bite from the apple and tossed it over to Shepard for a bite, "lots of neat little presents we could pick up from that planet, might help on the mission, just give the word and an hour or two for me to do some searching, and it's yours!"

"You always sneak around the ship in your stealth suit?" Shepard asked as he too took a bite and tossed it back to the thief.

"No of course not Shep!" Kasumi said aghast at the question, she looked thoughtful for a moment and added "Well, only when you're around and Tali might be watching, poor girl is quick to swoon when you're around, I would not dre want to disturb such a cute thing."

Her little smile turned into a big grin at the sputtering Shepard gave. She loved it when Shepard gave that indignant look that clearly displayed that he completely agreed with her but didn't want to admit it.

"Well I'll leave you too it, I'm sure Tali is longing for your return." Kasumi sighed out, activating her camouflage system and begun to slink away.

"Kasumi wait."

Kasumi reappeared and turned back to the man in charge. A curious look on her lips; the only thing Shepard could make out in the shadows.

"Yes Shep?"

John took a deep breath.

"Was your suit a gift from Kenji?" he inquired, a slight smile for the woman, who looked mystified at the surprise of the question, but quickly, she regathered herself.

"Yes, yes it was." Kasumi returned finally, she smiled faintly to herself as she recalled the gift her partner and lover had given her, with hesitation, Kasumi rose her head up to Shepard, "It's a unique, outfit, it's a prototype, I can tread invisible and not give off heat for thermal sensors for well over fifteen minutes." Kasumi spoke proudly, grazing her shroded armor carefully, "Very useful Shepard, very useful."

"Let me guess," Shepard returned softly, treading very carefully around the subject like it was a landmine, "Catherine Weaver was the person he took it from."

Kasumi stiffened at the mention of Weaver her eyes went wide and wild. Slowly, her breathing became constrained into her chest.

"Yes." She finally returned, daring not to look at her Commander.

She killed Kenji...Didn't she." John whispered, knowing full well he answer, it was the only explanation to the nearly always cheerful and enthusiastic Thief's sudden fearful expression. This wasn't the first time they talked about her partners death. In fact, they had many conversations about him. But the murderer was Donovan Hock, never a Weaver.

"Yes." Kasumi confirmed once again to him. "Hock was a hiring from Weaver, Weaver lost something more valuable than this suit. A secret, one worth killing over."

Shepard watched as Goto paced back and forth, rubbing the back of her black armor. She looked clearly agitated, if he didn't know better, she looked like she was on the verge of tears. The memories of the person who killed her lost love and the one who contracted the hit messing with her focus. Shepard sighed and hobbled over to her, wrapping his arms around Kasumi.

Kasumi choked out a half laugh, half sob as she felt his arms wrap around her.

"Think Tali will mind this? Poor girl would probably show the both of us the business end of her shotgun." She said, attempting to joke at his expense. She wanted so badly for the memories of finding Kenji's broken and mutilated body in the safehouse they shared together, to rebury themselves.

Shepard didn't laugh, instead he pulled away, an arm still wrapped around her.

"Miss Goto, sit down." Shepard said, leading her to a chair "We're going to talk."

...

* * *

...

"Mister Massani is your vessel in place?"

"Yes Miss Weaver," A rough English accent returned sounding polite, an alien concept to Massani, "we ought to be making contact with the SSV Kursk inside twenty or so minutes."

"Very good." Weaver's voice murmured over the com channel, "and Xerxes?"

"Placed in the Ship's system, ready for orders apparently."

"He's a bit...touchy Zaeed," Weaver's voice warned the Merc, "he needs a forceful handler. I trust you'll be up to the task?"

Zaeed snorted. Finding the question about his command leadership insulting. Weaver however, did not seem to care for the sudden rudeness. Instead her voice grew into a whisper.

"Mister Massani, I need you to get your headset on."

The Mercanary stared at the Com channel for a good long while. What in the hell was this conversation going to be about? Zaeed Dug through the station, finding a pair of beat up headphones. Her slipped it over his head and activated it. He quickly gave a check and muttered "Clear," to his employer.

"Mister Massani, I want you to listen to me carefully." Catherine stated, her voice back up to her regular commanding tone now. "What you're after is vital to me, irreplaceable to be perfectly clear. The packages you're retrieving must not be noticed. By anyone but yourself."

The Veteran Merc blinked. Jesus bloody Christ, was she suggesting something?

"All loose ends must be fixed," Weaver tagged on, her voice low and meaningful, as if to clue Zaeed in. "do you understand?"

Oh, he already knew. He knew the moment the mission was given to him. Weaver wanted everybody and everything silenced, permanently. The Alliance crewmembers, the officers, the marines. Even his own hired men. All were to be erased from existence in order to keep the Connors a secret from the galaxy.

"Perfectly...ma'am." Was his reply. A paycheck was a paycheck, no mater how morally depraved it was. This sick fuck was the boss here, not him.

"Very good Mister Massani, because any lose end left..unfixed will be an unfortunate." She delicately returned, Her calming tone masking deep seeded rage hidden from the public eye, "If that's the case, then I would be very worried for your safety if I were you."

"Good Luck," She finished, her voice much lighter now then it had been, "I trust you'll complete the assignment and all it's...details, with the same dedication as other contracts you've completed on my behalf."

The line went dead, leaving Zaeed alone in the communications room. Leaving him alone with his unspoken protests. The Merc rubbed his mutilated face. trying to get a good sense of just how important this must have been to Weaver.

"Xerxes report in, are you ready?" Massani called out, his authoritarian voice echoing throughout the ship. Silence greeted him for several long moments before finally, in an earblasting roar of an inhuman voice, it replied to the order.

_**"XERXES ENGAGED, PREPARED FOR ASSAULT."**_

The loud, metallic speaker went dead, leaving Zaeed rubbing his ear. Loud fucker, maybe he came with a volume control. Zaeed slumped into his chair. His artificial intelligence ace in the hole was ready.

Now, it was the waiting game.

...

* * *

...

_**So, did you enjoy? if so Review! lol **_

_**Sorry for the length being shorter. I have a new classification system. under nine thousand for non epic chapters like this one. Over nine thousand for epic ones. Next two chapters are epic sooo...lol**_

_**I mean it should be epic. Before you point a continuity issue with ship names I want you to pause for a moment and see where I'm going, all will be explained next chapter.  
**_

_**Okay, thanks to you all and hope to have the next one out soon!**_


	3. Trust

**Hello everyone, this took longer then I intended, Oh well. I wanna say thank you to all the reviews I have received. I'd also like to say sorry, this isn't action packed as I intended, Oh well means more room for human/quarian lovin...**

**Chapter Three: Trust**

**...**

* * *

**...**

"For a woman who took down a platoon strength of marines, She's a cute little thing, I'll give her that."

Executive officer Lieutenant Commander Kaidan Alenko nodded, albeit reluctantly, at the brief statement made by his Captain of the SSV Kharkov. The captain had been listening to the reports of his officers intently as he started at the battered and bruised unconscious woman on the table. Her big brown eyes wide and distant from the chip removal.

At least they thought she was a woman. The distinction of her being a woman and Engineer Stevens archived footage before his demise was still being fiercely debated amongst the officers and science team stationed aboard the Cruiser. Whatever she was. it was huge.

"Brutal little bitch, broke my nose." Major Liam Danvers grumbled as he pocketed his hands into his dress pants and stared at the specimen hard. "Took down my unit, everyone except Alenko here."

"She seemed to have had little desire to do serious damage to the unit as a whole, Captain." Alenko interjected, cutting the leatherneck off from his ranting, "Most of the men are out of the medical clinic now, thankfully." with a sigh, he added, "Stevens was the only one who didn't make it, but he was killed by her companion."

The Captain gave his XO a long, appraising look as he pulled a pipe from his uniform's front pocket. Captain Enrico Mendes had made his reputation on being a very introspective leader, always working the angles, motivations and facts he received when a new piece of information came to him before he made a step forward. Normally this wouldn't be a good leadership quality, but the Captain had found a perfect balance between being in his mind and keeping a sharp eye out for things that could blindside him if he wasn't vigilant enough.

"This John Connor right?" The Captain said as he lit his pipe, and took a deep drag, "how is he holding up in confinement?"

Slowly, Alenko rubbed the bridge of his nose at the mention the murderer they had in custody, John. He was a lunatic. Through and through. But why? It wasn't like the company he kept, encouraged the behavior. Cameron seemed like a very rational being. The complete opposite tom what John hahd shown. Perhaps this behavior wasn't normal. perhaps it was provoked instinctual response

"He attacked one of the crewmember bringing him food a little over an hour ago. He broke his finger and collarbone before we could get him under control, he's extremely agitated, highly violent." Kaidan reported, despite the musings. "I don't know what did it, but he has a some sort of mental trauma at some point in his life."

"Speak freely, Commander."

Commander Alenko cleared his throat, slightly surprised at the allowance made by the man. The Captain wanted him to speak freely? Well, Kaidan would speak freely.

"He's a sociopath, pure and simple." Kaidan returned, earning another calculating look and then finally, a nod from Captain Mendes to continue. With a moments hesitation, he added, "His medical screening came back, seems like he has early stages of liver cancer. His genetic structure has none of the standard improvements made mandatory, He's completely unaltered.. "

"Parents must have been anti technology or something, that sort of rudimentary gene therapy has been nearly perfected and everything but government enforced.." murmured the Captain reflectively, his mind trying to fathom why this man was ill with a disease that was mostly eradicated by now.

"What about the girl?" Mendes finally asked looking up and gesturing to his science officer, 2nd lieutenant Cai Hong who had just returned to the group. Hong gave his captain a nod.

"Captain, all of you," Hong begun respectfully, "I just don't think all you all recognize what she is. We've scanned her for everything;" Hong pulled up his omni-tool and revealing the body scan of the specimen, "Xrays, MRI's Thermal imagining screens. There is absolutely nothing here that indicates That this thing is human."

Even the grunt, Danvers looked at the science officer in surprise. He knew something was spectacularly different about the girl he took on and lost to. Not human... first time that crossed his mind.

"She has no vital organs, she isn't organic in anyway." Hong continued, closing the file and turning to the captain, "Her blood is synthetic. It's an amazing replication, it's perfect, nearly perfect... but it doesn't contain any oxygen or carbon dioxide, none at all, here, see for yourself."

Hong went over to the body, in his hand a medical cutting tool. Without hesitation, the scientist dug the blade into her chest, cutting a V shape. He looked up and gave the officers a smile and lifted the slab of skin up, ignoring the winces from the slurping noise the it made. Hong reached in and wiped the blood away. There facing the men was a bloody hyperalloy chest plate. right where her lungs and ribcage should have been.

"But... But, I watched her breathe during our first encounter." Alenko protested as he looked over the breath stopping sight. "It was so, real, unbelievably real. some sort of... Cerberus hybrid, I'd believe. My old commander is an example, but this is..."

"Beyond what Cerberus did to Shepard as you described, sir" Hong told him pointed, "If it is, this has to be well beyond top have nothing in our databanks that confirm that this... thing, exists."

"Of course she'd breath, Alenko." Mendes murmured to his Executive Officer suddenly, interrupting Hong. "It's a tool of manipulation, not one of necessity. She is a perfect representation of a human being. But, she's not. Now we have to ask. If this is Cerberus' creation. What is her purpose? Infiltration, undoubtedly, but then what? Spying? Assassination? Sabotage? and against who?"

Thr room went quiet. Hong covered the skin back over the chestplate and tucked the medical sheet over her body. He pushed the body back into the corner of his laboratory and walked back to the gathering of the command crew. The thought that some force unknown made this thing plagued their collective minds.

"So, what do we do now?" The Captain queried. Looking around the room for their input. Hong was the first to speak, he cleared his throat.**  
**  
"We get to the facility on Terra Nova and we study her more extensively." Hong said, not hearing the lab doors slide open. " I would also like to start a possible disassembling of her."

Just then the lab door slid open, catching the rooms attention. In stepped a freshly promoted Lieutenant by the names of Kovacs. Kaidan grimaced. The man was far to eager to please his superiors. So much so it reminded him of his self a few years prior. He had been just as eager to prove himself to his veteran war hero leaders, Shepard and Councilor Anderson. Must have had been embarrassing to watch.

"Sir," Kovacs reported, snapping out a crisp salute, "We need you on the bridge, we're receiving an emergency distress beacon."

"Thank you for the report doctor." Mendes stated respectfully, he turned back to the others and added. "Danvers, Alenko, come along, Report lieutenant."

"Sir, we have a Corsair identified vessel in distress. Life support minimum, one or two life signs at the most. it's giving off a Priority red transmission," Kovacs stated as the men headed back up to the Command deck of the Karakov. Mendes nodded thoughtfully as they entered the elevator. Priority red, he had to rescue the ship now.

"Send out a shuttle to link up with them. Take a medical team with a marine escort." The captain returned, his hand fell on Danvers, who nodded, ready to pick a team for his boarding.

"Can't sir," Kovacs disagreed as the elevator started to ascend "Engineer Diwan reports that her scans show that the vessel has been through massive mechanical failure. According to her assessment We're going to have to link up with her and cut through the bulkhead or airlock."

As the elevator came to a stop and opened, the captain was the first one out, he stepped forward and turned around in place, facing his men.

"Tell the Helmsmen to bring her in slow and close, prepare for a ship to ship docking." he addressed the lieutenant, "Major, prepare your unit for assistance and a engineer unit to cut through. Commander Alenko," Mendes said, snapping his fingers softly, "I want you on the bridge with me, up in the communications center. Do we all understand gentlemen?

"There was smattering of "Aye, aye Captain!" and Mendes felt a rush of his subordinates passing him by. Mendes exhaled and turned back, heading towards the bridge. It was time to be a Captain again.

**...**

* * *

...

Tali'Zorah's face had finally just stopped burning from behind her mask. She had made the biggest mistake in her life. Trusting her safety in that bosh'tet, Fist was even smarter then what she had just done.

She had decided to type "John Shepard" into the extranet search bar. Dozens, if not hundreds of sites came up from the search. Fan sites. For someone known to the galaxy as a taker of life, he certainly had a following, humans, turians between the ages of 15 to 50. For asari's 50 to 500 years.

What surprised her the most was a quarian page had been set up with him in mind. A young quarian woman, one Nala'Erlea nar Centurion from what she could conclude. From what else could be conclude was that Nala was firmly attached to the concept that Shepard had once been a quarian that the Ancestors resurrected to exterminate the geth once and for all.

That wasn't what got to her. No, she knew Shepard's stance on the geth. As much as she hated to hear it. Shepard's only hate for the geth was when he faced them on the battlefield. In private, he felt bad for them. For following Saren, for following a Reaper, for attacked by the quarians. There had been several explosive incidents between them whenever the geth had been mentioned, both parties came to an unspoken agreement to only talk about the facts and never, EVER about both of their personal opinions. Last thing they needed right now was a blow out over a couple of words.

The thing that had gotten to her was the fact that someone had taken a photo of the two of them. It had been just under an hour after Shepard and her had defeated Sovereign. Shepard had nearly fractured his leg, So she decided to swing an arm around him and lead him down to the triage station. She did not notice it at the time, but Shepard's head was on her shoulder, his lips spread into the smile she had only recently noticed him giving her.

Dozens of quarians had commented on it, about how sweet they were together, how adorable they looked looked together. Others, notably males were disgusted at her choice. But they had been in the minority. Quickly they had been silenced by some of the more girlish quarians. One thing that shocked her was that someone had sent an actual letter to the producers at Illium Entertainment and various human film producers for a sequel to Fleet and Flotilla. This time between a quarian and a human, Aptly entitled _Levo's and Dextro's: Compatible by Love._

Pilgrimage or not, If there was one thing a group of quarians females could do like masters, it would be to completely embarrass and ostracize another member of the fleet. No matter how much she may have agreed with them.

Keelah, and here she was having to go back to the fleet so soon. How many of her fleet sisters on this site would she encounter once they got back to the flotilla? How many would gossip to the people back on board the ship of their choice? That begged the curious thought. What, if anything, her father, or worse, Auntie Raan would do if they heard the rumor.

If they were to question, Tali could honest talk to them about it unlike when she came home to the Neema two years prior. It had been different circumstances of course. John had been dead, she didn't want to talk to anyone. It wasn't like they were seeing each other. Last night was the drunk affairs of two people. One in trouble with her flotilla, the other family issues, notably the loss of a father. They were drunk, lonely and most of all, they upset from these issues that were following them.

The differences were what was troubling her. He was helping her. He was going to get her to her trial, and knowing him. He'll be asking to present himself as a witness. He would do anything to help her. He already risked discipline and demotion for giving top secret data for her pilgrimage, even now she was curious as to why. One night before landing on Virmire, he approached her, gave her the datapacket and said 'Thank you... for everything' and left before she could even respond.

How could not have feeling him now despite a two year absence in her life?

Tali stared blankly at the terminal screen. Her mind wandered between thoughts of Shepard and her plot to help him out. Suddenly, she blinked. How could she have been so foolish? He wasn't parentless now. He still had his mother! Captain Hannah Shepard was the answer. If they could talk, it could mean a world of difference for him!

But what was her address? She was in command of a dreadnought. Would they allow personal messages on board Alliance combat vessels? Tali sighed her only answer was on standby behind her

"Artificial Intelligence," She commanded allowed, knowing full well she sounded rude, "I need to send a private communique to Hannah'Shepard vas Orizaba. I need her address."

"_One moment," _The artificial intelligence returned without a hesitation, _"Captain Shepard messaging service Identifier is H__.ShepardOrizaba at AllianceNavy dot Mil. When you finish and send the message, I will identify it as already passed through Alliance filters and alter the possible back trace from Cerberus, instead making the point of origins as the Migrant Fleet."_

"Thank you." Tali murmured back, distracted by the typing.

"_Now all you have to do is call me by my proper name of EDI instead of Artificial Intelligence."_ EDI shot back, causing Tali to jump in her seat_ "I have concluded that I would not be allowed to refer to you only as quarian."_

Tali blinked. Humans gave their AI's the right to reply to a belligerent organic with a sarcastic sounding retort? Were they really this naïve and about creating life like this?

"EDI" She whispered. The Artificial Intelligence did not speak, her complaint was addressed, it had nothing more to say. Tali turned back to the screen and placed her hands on the holo keypad.

_Recipient: Captain Hannah'Shepard vas Orizaba_

_You may not recall me, but we had an encounter two years ago and it was only a passing moment. You were and still are a very busy woman with many responsibilities to your people, I will try to keep this brief, I would not want to keep you too wrapped up in my rabbling._

_To begin with, my name is Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. Two years ago we spoke at your son's funeral, to be more exact with you I had a lengthy conversation with Admiral Mark Shepard. We spoke of a great deal before it was time for the sermon, mostly about John. I was shocked at the way Admiral Shepard spoke of him. The Shepard I knew... The John I know to this day was a different man. _

_I am sorry for yours and your sons loss. He was a good man._

_I'm sorry as well, I do not mean to pry. But John is my friend, the closest friend I have ever had, he is hurting inside, he hides it well but I know he is. He tries to be strong for all of us at the expense of his own grief. The only way I have managed to get anything from was by force as well as a few drinks. I will also not attempt to pretend to have intimate knowledge of your relationship with him. But I know do him. I know that Shepard needs time to mourn, for his father, for his own death._

_There is a reason I am contacting you. I was wondering that should you have the time to, I would like to speak to you. In person about the issues at hand. I would like for the two of you to work through the grief he feels as much as you._

_I do not know when or where it will be convenient for you. This meeting is at your choosing. But know this, your son needs this, if this is not possible, if you cannot do this for him. I will do it for you._

_Keelah Se'lai, Captain Shepard vas Orizaba._

_Respectfully,_

_Tali'Zorah vas Neema_

Tali sat back in Shepard's terminal chair and looked it over carefully. While she was happy about how the message sounded, She couldn't believe she was doing any of this. She chalked it up to the fact that she was still sort of drunk and she had a fever coming on from unfiltered unsterilized alcohol. Quietly, she pressed send and leaned back, arms around the back of her neck.

"EDI, State chief Engineer Tali'Zorah vas Neema's orders for the day?"

Tali yelped and jumped in the seat, once more, this time from the strong male tone behind her. She turned around and found that Shepard was standing there, his arms crossed and his eyes focused on her. She sighed as she noticed a sly grin on his lips. She scowled at the Commander hard, not impressed with the shock of his sudden appearance.

_"The Commander requires you to be in a relaxed state and nowhere a near a terminal or Omni-tool."_ The AI returned overhead of the human and the quarian.

Tali blushed as she stammered out,"Sh-Shepard I'm sorry for using your station...I-I wanted to send a letter or two, inform them we're on our way. I think my Omni-Tool isn't working."

"_I have intercepted and disabled all forms of foreign communication in and out of this floor, I allowed Miss Zorah limited non work related access to your terminal for personal use only,"_ EDI admitted, earning a narrowing of Tali's eyes at the AI interface terminal.

Shepard chuckled at EDI and her clever subversion of Tali and what he believed to be her attempting to get back to her station in the engine room. Quietly, he stumbled sleepily back over to the bed. As he passed the quarian engineer, he allowed his hand briefly to grasp Tali's elbow, sliding down softly to her hand.

The Commander shot her a smile and took a seat on the bed, laying flat on the bed,. He groaned as he kicked off his shoes and rubbed the bridge of his nose s if something was wrong. He yawned and stretched out. He did not notice Tali, standing there looking at him, a faint smile returned just for him.

She watched Shepard intently, a slight tingle running down her spine as she pushed the urge ask him to show any of his scars he may . His eyes were closed shut, his expression looking perfectly peaceful from his place on the bed. Tali turned to go and take a seat on the couch facing her captain.

Before the quarian could take a seat her audio filters in her helmet picked up a faint tap. She looked up to see that Shepard's hand was bouncing up and down on the spot of the bed next to him. Tali blinked around as if worried someone,notably EDI, was moments more hesitation, she stepped forward and turned herself around, mimicking Shepard's fall onto the bed.

"Sorry to leave you like that, got a call." Shepard apologized, his voice low and sounding very casual as her body rested close to him. Tali smiled was the Commander nervous? Whatever it was, it was cute.

"Also needed to have a chat with Kasumi, how well do you know her?" He added questioningly, he barely registered that Tali's body had move inches closer to him the tips of her suit touching the fabric of his uniform

"Kasumi?" Tali repeated her silvery eyes lightening up at the mention of one of the few members of Shepard's ground team that she truly enjoyed being around the moment she met her, with a soft smile concealed, she added. "She's nice, for a human at least, almost as interested in quarians as you are. I like her."

"We were talking about an old business partners she had. Did she... mention it to you?" Shepard said almost reluctantly.

Tali shook her head.

"No." Tali returned, resting the back of her helmet on the bed. "we mostly keep things relevant, sometimes she teaches me about humanity and why everyone is so reactive. Sometimes we talk about people on the ship. Girl talk as she calls it."

She shrugged, her shoulders touching his. Shepard merely chuckled.

"Wait a second, you mean to tell me that you listen to a human ramble on about humans and never once brought up the quarian experience?" He teased the woman, he couldn't help but grin. Tali smacked her captains forearm.

"No, I believe that I will save that for you." Tali returned back. In a surge of sudden braveness, she shuffled an inch closer, her hand remaining on his arm. She smiled once more and boldly added "You... violent apes, as she once put it, are quite intriguing."

They looked at each. Shepard must have known that she was smiling. He returned it as well.

"Well, she has a partner... Well she had one," Shepard went on, doing his best to suppress the desire to react to the touch , "she doesn't like to talk about it, but allowed me the only two people who get to learn about it is you and me.

"Me?" Tali widened her eyes, tilting her her head to look at him closer, "What business is it of me?"

"Because we've been ordered by the Illusive Man to turn the Normandy around and head to Noveria for mission critical business." he admitted, his eyes downcasted from her.

"Meaning I'll miss my trial date." She whispered, inhaling sharply. She would not yell at him for this. she would control her temper. She'd give the commander a chance to explain the situation. It was the least the quarian should have been doing.

"The Illusive Man informed me that you have some lineancy as to when you can get to." The human threw in, earning what he could only imagine a dirty look from the quarian, "Our trip to Noveria is mostly just for traveling, We'll be on the planet for an hour or two tops."

"Why is this so important?" Tali asked, catching herself placing a biting tone into her voice. Shepard clamped his mouth shut like an airlock, knowing that now he had to tread carefully. Tali had a quick temper and an even quicker reaction, more then she'd ever admit to of course.

"The woman involved in the death of Kasumi's partner is offering up three new dossiers for the team, with no apparent demands." Shepard said quickly, "The Illusive Man feels that the woman is well worth the delay."

Tali's cold, indifferent tone was still present in her next words,

"Who is it?"

"Kasumi gave me some background on her, Her name is Catherine Weaver, she's the CEO of Zeira galactic Corporation, now based out of Noveria." The Commander said listing the detail from the top of his head, "She hold stakes in many public companies, Synthetic Insights, Binary Hilex, Neshan Steller Dynamics and potential buy out of Sirta Foundation. but her real work is in experimental technology."

With a soft sigh, Shepard spoke again, almost hesitantly, "She's one of the few powerful humans to believe in the Reaper threat. According to the Illusive Man, she has spent two long years developing technologies to use against them. What she has been doing what she's been creating, no one knows.

"Catherine Weaver sounds like an intelligent woman." Tali remarked. Surprisingly, Shepard shook his head.

"Catherine Weaver is a certified maniac hiding behind money, charity and connections with the galactic elite, Tali." Shepard corrected the quarian, his expression sunken into a dark frown. "Apparently, this Weaver had Kasumi's partner abducted and his head cracked open so they could take apart his brain in order to get a hold of his grey box."

Tali flinched and turned to face Shepard head on. Shepard's face was pokerfaced. The lack of his expression only served to confirm it. The quarian opened her mouth, it was a silent shock at what had happened to Kasumi, her new friend. How people, how could humans could do such a thing to one another. Why would they destroy a life in such a horrific manner. Murder was a nearly inconceivable act amongst quarians. In the three centuries they traveled the stars, perhaps 75 quarians were convicted of murder.

"I guess Kenji, her partner," Shepard clarified for her,noticing that the quarians eyes narrowed in brief confusion, "sneaked in there to find Kasumi an upgrade for her suit, it was to be a birthday gift according to her. Kenji, being a hacker couldn't help but get himself into the ZeiraCorps network and found something that he shouldn't have. Something that Weaver was willing to hire mercenaries to kill him for. Something that could destroy humanity's reputation on the galactic stage."

Tali's eyes widened at the assessment. a secret that could destroy a superpower species?

"What is the secret?" Her curiosity getting the better of her, despite still slightly disgruntled at the delay and he message she'd have to send to he closet thing she had to caring family, Shala'Raan vas Tonbay. Her position on the Admiralty board could allow a small delay.

Shepard shrugged.

"Kasumi never found it out." Shepard returned her whisper, lowering his shoulder blades. "Honestly, it could be just about anything. It could be a secret plan of galactic domination." He paused and with a smirk, added " Or it could be that quarians are actually just humans with deformed hands and feet with little immune system to speak of."

There was a brief shocked silence from the quarian, as if trying to figure out a clever retort. Before her brain could register it. Tali had sat up and lunged the full weight of her body on top of the male, a guttural growl. Her long fingers dug deep into the sides of his body.

Shepard laughed unavoidably. The leatherlike gloves pressed tight against her fingers grazed pressure points, pushing the woman up from him carefully. Tali fought his struggle to escape from her and somehow, managed to pin the marines arms down, her fingers dug deep into his hands.

"The great Commander Shepard nearly giggling?" Tali teased losing grip of the hold on his arms, "Kasumi had informed me that even human males have sensitive nerves if touched correctly."

Tali paused her assessment. Her luminescent eyes met Shepard's and blinked twice, finally she said "Keelah, John. That came out completely wrong, I- I Apologize... Captain.."

Shepard on the other hand, didn't accept the apology. Instead, his head fell back flat on the bed and burst into a loud booming laughter at her earlier unintentionally sexual remark. Embarrassed, Tali'Zorah dropped her head, slightly ashamed at herself. She needed much more eduction in human understanding then she had first thought.

Before she could roll off of him, she felt a strong hand lift up her chin to face Sheprd once more. A look of amusement was present.

"You know Tali." He begun slowly, rough hands taking hers and inspected it closely, "I'm surprised those clunky looking things you call hands are so graceful, really; I'm shocked-."

There was a devastating sound of "Crack!' and sudden tingle of light pain but the shock of the at least hundred fifteen pound normally timid quarian girl delivered a palm slap across his cheek was completely unexpected. Well. Not really that unexpected.

"I'm kidding, watch those claws!" He shouted from under the hail of playfully abuse he received from the fierce quarian woman. She ignored the loud retraction and continue to smack his chest. With one last smack, this time to his cheek again, Tali huffed and attempting to sit up from her place on him.

But she couldn't. Strong, determined arm wrapped around her. One arm around her back, the other around her waist. Tali didn't move again. She suddenly realized what she had done. She could feel the heat rise in her body as her fingers grazed the tip of his chin.

"Bosh'tet." She pouted, purposely ignoring the teasing grin on the humans face, and instead, the woman crossed her arms looked down. "that was not funny, not at all."

Shepard's grin shaped into careful smile as the press of Tali's helmet pressed into his toned chest. She sighed and fell quiet. Something the both of them shared for several more minutes.

"Anyways." He continued, deciding to press the conversation onwards, the faster it got out, the better, "Weaver's conditions for the aid is simple. We get to go to a formal dinner that she'll be hosting. In return for all of our presence for a dinner and a few questions. We'll be in and hour in just over a couple of hours, I promise then we'll be right back on our way to."

As Shepard took a breath, Tali rose her gloved hand up, her two fingers pressing softly to his lips. He fell silent as he wordlessly just watched her.

"Shepard." She breathed, her brimming with sincerity for the human. She took his other hand, and squeezed it tight. Shepard glanced at it and returned the squeeze tenderly.

"I, well... I trust you." Tali whispered again, fumbling with her words. "You don't need to prove anything to me."

She rested her head back on his chest and closed her eyes as the Commander said. "EDI, Have Joker turn this ship around, maximum speed." She felt his hands roam up her back and touch her veil softly. She smiled as she noticed Shepard's lips leaned in and pressed on the top of her mask, where glass and metal converged.

Perhaps the other quarians were right. Perhaps they did have something more then a close friendship. But whatever this was. Tali'Zorah vas Neema certainly liked it.

**...**

**

* * *

**

**...**

"_This is an automated distress beacon. Loopcycle number 93: _

_This is captain Jonathan Pierce, Alliance Cosairs designation code Sierra Niner, Zulu Mike Juliet. Priority Alpha data cache on board. We're dead in the water, require assistance from closest designated Systems Alliance Naval vessel. Message repeats._

"Well?"

"Their heat signature is approaching Zaeed... nice and slow, it's a reasonable response, they're getting the message, but they're excising caution. Nothing to be worried about yet... I think that they have no clue." the pilot returned, his eyes never leaving his panel. A cigarette was hanging from his lips. smoke billowing from the Russian's mouth

Zaeed nodded and read the readings. They were one hundred and twenty thousand kilometers from them and closing at a relatively fast pace. Under ten minutes at the most. Just enough time to prep for the mission at hand.

"Alright then, Inform me when we're inside wireless communication range, I need to talk to the maggots, bullet catchers, whatever." Zaeed finally spoke, standing from his seat and head down to the cargo hold of the frigate.

He had fourteen men. It was a larger unit then he had planned, but he needed a big as possible diversion. Considering he was going to he wasn't going with them. No, they would be caught by the welcome party of Alliance marines. Instead Zaeed had other plans. A plan that involved him diving out of Anton's airlock and onto the Kursk's observation deck. It would be a far more prudent choice. No messy firefights.

Besides, Zaeed liked his dramatic entries, even if the people he was being dramatic for usually were cut down moments later.

Smirking as he entered the cargo bay and finding thirteen batarians freelancers and one turian ex-Blue Sun shooting the shit with the batarian, Morok, with the most experience. Morok was a real piece of shit. Slaver, ruddy fucking blink terrorist, but he and his men were the only ones stupid enough to take the job. They, like Zaeed, had been prepping for action. So, he cleared his throat; earning their attention.

"Alright, gather around and listen up you little blink shits, we're being approached by our target, the SSV Kursk," Zaeed said as they turned around to look at their boss, "She's a an Alliance military frigate with crew complement of fifty seven enlisted men and six is an armory officer, Communications officer, chief engineer, marine detachment officer, XO and, of course, captain. We'll be killing them all today."

"Morok," Zaeed added, looking at veteran batarian slaver, who was grinning at the thought of killing humans, "pick two of your best men and come with me before we engage."

Morok grunted and turned, pointing out two of his underlings. Zaeed nodded in confirmation. they were to be his dive team.

"The rest of you." He continued, turning back to the Merc's "You have one little job. Kill everybody you see. There is to be no survivors for this operation. No Slaving, no Ransoms, everyone must be taken out or I'll be hunting your ass to that shithole you call a homeworld and slash all of your throats"

The batarians growled at the remark, but nonetheless nodded, looking particularly pleased with what they were asked to be doing. It wasn't everyday Terminus scumbags were going after Council vessels, least of all, human targets. Today would be a great day for them all.

"What do we do with the ship." Morok called out in a rumbling tone. Several other batarians nodded as well. Zaeed sneered at the batarian. He turned away from the group, disgusted with dealing with these scum suckers.

"It's your bonus." Zaeed returned off handily, earning much more attention then before from them all, "You can take it back to the batarian Hegemony. I know for a fact they'd reward you blinks handsomely."

The batarians looked around at each other, the reward was well worth being continuously ethnically slurred for. The mission, in their eyes, was getting better and better to them.

Stupid, silly, greedy bastards.

"I want you all wearing helmets. There might be a chance we disable life support and vacuuming the oxygen, clear?" Zaeed informed the now attentive members of his unit, "Last thing. My stake. I have two individuals, prisoners, if you will You'll know the if you see them. should look out of place, your job, If I haven't found them is to free them and protect them until I get to them. Anyway-"

"_Massani get your ass up here_!" The pilot and captain of the freighter spat out overhead of the tactical briefing. Massani looked up, the man in charge of the ship sounded panicked, fearful of something, was he getting cold feet? Was Anton thinking more about his life then is paycheck? Whatever it was...

Zaeed raced back, as he marched back to the cockpit he spat."What in the hell is your problem you goddamn Russkie, getting gutless on me now?."

Anton did not reply, instead he pointed out a starboard view. Zaeed obliged the pilot and turned to look out into the stars. There, the Kursk was, slowly gaining to them, it's size increasing. Zaeed blinked as he looked over the distant ship. That wasn't a frigate. not by a long shot

"Massani you fucking idiot." He whispered, "That's not the Kursk. That's the SSV Kharkov according to FTL chatter." The pilot turned back to Zaeed, looking ready to pound the shit out of the Mercenary and roared, "we're attacking a Cruiser? You SON OF A BITCH!"

She lied to him. Catherine Weaver fucking sold him out. Like his former partner Vido Santiago before him. There was no mission, this was a ploy to exterminate him. Well fuck her he figured, he'd do the mission, get back to Noveria and show the manipulative bitch the business end of an M6 Carnifex.

"Shut down life support, maintain the signal draw them in, we have enough oxygen without the O2 system on for several hours." Zaeed ordered as he tapped into the ships intercom system, "I'm sending an FTL message to her. Maintain course. This mission got complicated. I promise you Anton, this is happening."

"EVA GEAR ON YOU BASTARDS."The Merc warlord roared over the intercom to his underlings, "WE'RE GOING IN HOT. MOROK, FRONT AND CENTER."

Zaeed bolted from the Command pod and charged down into his room. He stepped in and sat down heavily in his chair, he spat out his employers name into the communication system. He leaned back hard and waited for a reply. Then, it came alive she was there. Catherine Weaver was there.

"Mister Massani." A cold Scottish tone greeted him. Massani grimaced, he couldn't believe that he forgot the golden rule. Never trust a Scot.

"Oh Hello Miss Weaver, How are you?" Zaeed jovially stated, attempting to remain absolutely calm at the concept of betrayal, "Guess what? Your Intel was wrong. They're not on board the Kursk, They're on board the SSV Kharkov. Do you have any idea the difference? One ship is a Frigate. the other is a goddamn CRUISER."

"One guess as to what we're attacking." Zaeed finished slamming himself into the seat.

There was a palpable silence between Zaeed and Catherine. Zaeed would have smirked if he wasn't so goddamn stressed from his new assignment. Weaver was completely speechless. God, to see the look on her blank face would hve been well worth the risk.

"I see." Catherine finally said, her completely voice unperturbed, "Maintain mission, you'll have to be a bit more reliant on Xerxes for he assault. I will get to the bottom of this. I promise you Mister Massani. I have had zero desire to betray you. Are we clear?"

Bull fucking shit.

"35 percent increase in what I'm owed, 35 PERCENT. Are we fucking clear, you daft bitch?" Zaeed returned, deciding to press his luck for an extra payout for the job. He fucking deserved it too, the mission gotten more complicated then he ever wanted it to be.

There was a deadening silence on the other end of the FTL connection. It seemed to him, Catherine Weaver was mulling the new proposal over. Perhaps she was hoping to intimidate Zaeed into retracting the proposition he had made from some kind of fear of her. She was a scary bitch, but when a contract was being negotiated, Zaeed never backed down to no one. Ever.

"Of course," She managed to say through her gritted teeth, "Farewell."

"What was that Massasni." Morok boomed out from behind. Massani didn't bother to turn back, his eyes focused on his intertwined hands.

"My boss, this mission has been escalated, means more to kill." Zaeed returned, ignoring the surprised look on the blinks face, "your crews reward has gone up significantly."

"Zaeed, we're in wireless range!" Anton's voice cried out over the intercom. Massani clinched his hands tight. This was it, it was time to see if Weaver Artificial Intelligence was the real deal.

"Xerxes initiate the attack," Zaeed commanded as he turned from the terminal and strode back to his unit, "The rest of you mount up, we're going in!"

The ships power flickered. Xerxes was online. it's metaphorical eyes watching the Cruiser with great interest.

...

* * *

...

There were only four things illuminating the expansive room during the simulated nighttime. A datapad that had a mission report plastered over the holo screen. A the light of a cigarette cherry burning it's way down to the filter as the man read his report dutifully. The final two lights came from his cybernetic implanted iris'.

The eyes scanned over the situation report made by one of his agents. It appeared that he had made contact with Councilor David Anderson. The Illusive Man was impressed. He had thought Anderson a risk to Cerberus. Perhaps he could have chance to a one on one talk with the man. A risky venture, but the outcome would be well worth it.

A slight smile spread to his lips. The bed had shifted weight. Approaching him. A woman waiting for him.

"Come back to bed," The woman said, her slinky arms spread from his spine to around his broad chest, "These days you have been working yourself to hard, pushing yourself to the breaking point. Men, even powerful men need time to rest before another move is made."

The man chuckled humorlessly, his fingers dabbing out ashes from the end of his cigarette. He leaned back carefully, his back resting into a firm pair of breast and the chin of his lover resting on his shoulder.

"You speak as if you're a matriarch.." The Illusive Man mused, his lips forming a smirk the woman could catch on the sight of her eyes. Gently, she slapped his chest with the barest of pressure.

"For the fifteen years we have known each other, Fifteen years we have talked, we have learned of one another. I must confess, I had been under the distinct impression that you had realized that by now." The woman said, her words ending as she softly chuckled.

The Illusive Man merely shook his head and lifted his free hand up. the fingers connected to his hand touched the top of her scalp, running down and gently played with the soft tendrils the woman, the asari had protruding from the back of her skull. He smirked at soft tone of pleasure the asari gave.

"Something humoring you, Matriarch Trellani? Are you still hung up on the popular... misconceptions about myself?" Illusive Man inquired, his tone polite and nearly inviting even as the asari held her eyes closed from the half focused scalp massage.

The asari bit her lip as though she was a maiden once more. She remained quiet, enjoying the physical sensations. Thankfully, the human allowed the peace as it gve her time to deliberate a response.

"You must admit that finding solace in an alien to be peculiar for a man bent on giving his people flak for caring about non humans, which I know you do." She finally spoke, leaning her lips up and across the nape of the man's neck, kissing it softly. The Illusive Man closed his cybernetic eyes, enjoying the primal urges he rarely allowed to be seen.

"I don't distrust aliens, Matriarch..." He started, only to feel a pale blue finger touch his lips, silencing the human from his explanation. The Matriarch pushed herself even closer to the human, the finger on his lips moving down and grazing his Adams Apple.

"Solia," She corrected in a low sensual whisper for him, "I think you have the right to use my first name for a while now."

"Solia," The Illusive Man returned the whisper in his commanding voice once more,"I don't hate aliens, I don't dislike aliens. I have neither the time, nor the desire to be xenophobic; on a personal level."

With a slight sigh the man stood up. He held his head high; not at all shy of his own nudity as he headed to the bar in the corner of his suite. Solia watched him, she always watched him. For a a human, he encompassed all the desirable traits for a man. Tall, broad judging from the discolored scar tissue and cybernetic bolt implants running up his spine to the base of his neck, he had a history as well. What that was, Solia could only venture hypothesis nothing at all solid.

"I'm a man of action, a man with an indomitable desire to be number one. I'll be the first to admit it." The human finally spoke, now behind the bar and fixing himself a drink. "I'm also a man who needs to take the intuitive and help out my fellow man from falling into feeling a need to slow down and abandon what makes us human, to unite and conform and blend into the Alien races, who have in recent centuries, Grown complacent, grown lazy and weak willed."

The Illusive Man set down the bottle of one hundred year old scotch and pulled a fresh cigarette from the drawer of the bar. He lit it up, his eyes solely on Solia as he inhaled the nicotine. Their silence was a conversation itself a stare down between to powerful individuals.

"It's humanity's duty as the newcomers to the galaxy, to remind the older species that complacency fuels superiority." He continued, still looking back to the bed and into his matriarch lovers eyes. "Once superiority sets in, it's only a matter of time until someone knocks you off your pedestal. Like we did to the turians."

"Your detractors do not seem to share your opinion, in fact, they view you as the one who sees humanity as superior. That you feel that the only true inheritors of this galaxy are humans." The Matriarch returned, her formal tone she had developed coming back to her. She too watched the human drink down the amber liquid and poured another glass, this time more liberally.

The Illusive Man eyed her again from the bar, he finished pouring his drink before he returned,"My detractors are fools to not comprehend the major difference between Superiority and the desire to see my kind adapt, advance and prosper as a result."

The human closed his cabinet and turned back to the naked asari, he tyook a drag as he walked back over to take a seat on his bed, back beside his new lover. The asari wrapped her slender arm around the man's waist, watching him carefully.

"For the sake of this discussion, Let's use the asari as my case study." Illusive Man softly spoke to her, his hand touching hers for the briefest of seconds. "When I first stepped onto your homeworld, Thessia, I was in sheer awe at what I saw. It was the perfect fusing. Of nature and civilization. Your air and water was clean, your cities built as though the Goddess Athema had touched the architects and inspired their collective work, most importantly, your streets free from the poor."

"There were no homeless, only asari living together in perfect harmony." He mused allowing a smile for the non human.

'My home, Earth, is ill. It has been sick for many centuries now." He continued, his tone more mournful. "It's forests finally have started to regrow, and flourish, it's nature coming back, the oceans have started to prove it is once more full of life. Our ozone layer is healthy. Life has been slowly returning to our little planet, to the cradle of humanity."

"But Solia, my dear. Earth is a nightmare still. It's cities are dirty, her streets full of the sick and dying and homeless." Illusive Man admitted, his tone tight, choked even. The thought of mother Earth's despair getting to him, "Our air and soil are still plagued with radioactive isotopes and there is still millions of tonnes of dust in the atmosphere, thanks to humanity's desire for a nuclear war nearly two centuries prior, a war few are willing to admit to but one that happened, nonetheless."

"When I recalled and compared the condition of humanity's collective homeworld to this jewel. I must profess, I stood there and said aloud to my top asides "Ladies, Gentlemen, we have, at long last, found the model for what humanity should, and will become."

"You see. I do not hold grudge, or a dislike for other species. My desires are solely and completely dedicated to that of making my species more respectable, a species where, its government has a spine. Where it's military leaders are not afraid to get into a fight. where civilians understood that being politically correct isn't the pathway to success in the galaxy and saying no to Aliens won't mean the end of out relationship with them."

As the Illusive Man sipped his drink, he did not notice, or he did not acknowledge the expression written on the Matriarch's face, "In my seven hundred and four years of life," She finally whispered, "I do not think I have ever met a being quite like you."

"Then I'll take that as a compliment, something I rarely receive." The Cerberus Leader returned, turning hs body around to face the asari properly. Without hesitation, Solia climbed onto his lap, placing her hands around the small of his back.

"And what of this threat, The Collectors." Solia whispered to the man, taking the glass out of his hand sipping the alcohol. Illusive Man gave her the slightest of smirks as he retrieved the glass back from her dainty hand. his other hand grabbing her.

"When I find them, and I promise you, I will find them." He assured the alien, his expression twisting down into a deep frown, "I'll have my investment fly into the Omega Four Relay, land on their homeworld, their place of origins... and exterminate every last one of them where they stand."

"Shepard..." Trellani whispered, knowing full well who the investment was. She looked up and mused, "I wonder. If the asari were the ones being collected, and the council did nothin-."

The Illusive Man chuckled darkly.

"A long shot at best" He interjected. Before he could elaborate and disprove the claim, the asari had her hand back over the man's lips.

"I happen to agreed, but hear me out.' she chastised him softly, "If asari were being abducted by the tens of thousands hundreds of thousands even and the leaders that governed us did nothing. Would Cerberus stand alone as the defenders of the asari? Would your organization deem rescuing my people as a top priority?"

The matriarch smiled as she let his lips go free. There was a silence shared between the two of them The human and the asari. One preparing an answer the other waiting for. it. The curled his lips up into what the asari would always recall as the most predatory smile she every seen. He responded. With just one utterance.

"Yes."

"With this exact level of response you have now?" She added for clarification.

"My answer is, yet again, Yes." Illusive Man returned, cybernetic eyes piercing her baby blues, "Do you know why?"

"Like it or not my dear," he started before waiting for a confirmation, "everyone in this galaxy will be affected once the Collectors are done with humanity. soon they could go after the asari, or turians. Humanity is the first one targeted, but I assure you, we would not be the last ones neither. The Reapers are coming, and so far, only a labeled xenophobic human interest group has seen it's threat, assessed it, and decided to take action while we still had time to make a difference.

"If it had been the asari who were targeted by the Reapers first before humans, I would most certainly be investigating the disappearances and doing all I could to stop them. He assured his lover, "as I said, the Reapers and the Collectors aren't interested in solely harvesting one species. They want us all. We all have our differences, but the fact of the matter is. Survival is only possible through cooperation, through combining our power."

The Illusive Man shuddered and sighed at his own words. As much as he felt humanity's role was to lead the charge in this fight for survival, it was now clear that Shepard was right in his assessment. He did have to start playing nice with the aliens, extending olive branches where ever possible.

"Unfortunately your intrepid leaders feel that unity should only be rhetoric at the most." He concluded, his fingers touching her sharp chin, "It is up to you, as a respected matriarch of your people to change their minds in this matter. I know that there are others amongst your people who feel the same, but they are overshadowed by a single, powerful incentive."

"Status quo, Miss Trellani, is no longer an acceptable option." The Illusive Man concluded, Setting the empty glass on his stone floors.

Solia nodded wordlessly. The human was right. A man with this bad a reputation amongst the galaxy, even from his own people, could do only so much with credits and manpower from an organization deemed as terrorist. He needed powerful people, powerful, like minded individuals such as herself, learning the truth and willing to speak on his behalf.

A collation with the Illusive Man himself. This was something she never would have thought likely since their first encounter fifteen years prior. Of course, despite each other, dare the asari say it, friendship.

"Tell me Solia, who are the real monsters of this galaxy." He mused to himself, the look on his face, the tone in his voice sounding, strangely off. "A band of humans with the reputation to being fiercely dedicated to their own species, yet willing to protect those who need it? Or the collective governments under the council whom believe in passive assimilation, yet who are more then willing to condemn trillions to death and indoctrination for a few fleeting years of stability?"

"I believe you humans have a saying:" She whispered back to him, she thought for the briefest of moments before finally saying, "Ignorance is bliss."

The founder of Cerberus eyes hardened at the statement.

"Well, this human hates that phrase." He spat out, a visible flinch came from the asari as a powerful surge of emotion broke through the carefully constructed cool he had. For Solia, It had felt to her as if he had backhanded her across the cheek.

There was a strain silence between the two. For an asari who was suppose to one of the most intelligent beings in the galaxy, she sure no longer felt like she was. Simple words set this human off. She did not mean too, nor had it been her intention. Still, from now on, she would watch herself. A man in his position was bound to be stressful.

"My apologies, Matriarch," He softly spoke to her, as sincerely as he could, "I lost my temper,"

Solia smiled. She pulled herself off of the human and laid flat down, her arm around his waist tugging him down beside her. The man looked over the nude woman, half concealed by the blankets on his bed. With a soft nod, he agreed and lid himself down and into Solia's warm, assuring arms.

"Come lay down now, put your mind at ease." Solia spoke softly, rubbing "You have selfless intentions that have been misconstrued as selfish racism. It's certainly not right. It's certainly not just, but I know you. I know that with or without their support, you'll do what is necessary, for the good of all of us."

The two of them did not speak, Solia Trelanni's lips arched upward and tenderly connected to his. Tenderly, they kissed. However, both of their minds were elsewhere.

"I must ask you, one last question." Solia whispered, breaking the careful kiss for the man. Her eyes met his, in that moment The Illusive Man knew that their conversation was not going to be done so soon. As a Matriarch, she obviously needed to know everything.

"Would you save the quarians?"

It was certainly an intriguing question. One that caught the Illusive Man's attention so much so tht his lips curled up in to a smile. But it was look Solia had not noticed, her face was now buried into his chest.

"I can see you assisting asari," Solia whispered, her lips pecking and moving up his bare chest, "the salarians for their top notch intelligence services. turians even, if only for their marshal strength." She paused her affection as she looked up to the human and added, "But what about a species with little to offer you other then a fleet of rusting ships, a species with little desire to concern itself with the politics outside of there species because of the blatant xenophobia directed at them for three century's. Would you save them?"

"Yes I would." Was his immediate reply. Solia returned his smile with one of her own.

"Why is that?"

"Because if I didn't, Shepard would," Was the man's simple reply. "Once he did it. He'd come gunning for me for not assisting him. I may have made him. But I have no intentions on getting on his bad side."

...

_

* * *

_

...

"XO, I'm turning in for the evening you're in command, anything comes up wake me."

'Yes Ma'am."

The commanding officer of the SSV Orizaba yawned as she stretched her arms out. She closed the door to her quarters and leaned against it, eyes.

"VI, something Chopin." she said slinking over towards her bed, pulling of her uniform jacket and pulled the hairpin out, allowing tousled chestnut toned hair to fall freely around her neck. She shook her hair out carefully. The look in her eyes hard from stress.

Three weeks she'd been out here on the bloody ege of council space, watching for some nonexistent batarian assault. She could have been doing something more important. Like waging war on the geth, leading a fleet dreadnoughts and cruisers up the geth's ass. For what they did to Eden Prime, what they did to the Citadel.

For what they did to Mark. What they did her husband and all of those who perished on the Serrano.

But no, she'd never get that. The geth got away with taking her son an now, her husband of 30 years. Hannah sighed to herself, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, her ears and mind focused on the piano of Chopin's prelude to E-minor.

She should have taken the admiralty position when it was offered to her by Hackett and the others. But no, she didn't take it out respect to a son, who, not only had he survived, he refused to return to contact her, three weeks and nothing. Hannah wasn't surprised by this. her and her son never had a strong relationship. Ech yer John served the Alliance seemed to inflict him with doubt about it's cause.

Worse, doubt in his parents. Hannah couldn't help but smile. He was six years old, somehow managed to find his father's, grandfathers combat harness vest and his dad's Alliance standard helmet. It damn near weighed as much as he did but still John bolted around the SSV Cairo like he was in basic, For another eleven years joining the Alliance was what he talked about every third thing that came out of his mouth.

Hannah glanced up at the terminal in her room. The interface was flashing. Quietly, she stood back up and took a seat at the terminal. She leaned forward to read the he list of

_Spam, Spam, Alliance dinner gala, charity in John Shepard's naame. more spam Tali'Zorah vas Neema of the the Migrant Fleet..._

Hannah blinked twice, What warranted a call from the fleet? She usually kept her business well the hell away from the quarians, who were well known to destroy combat vessels before they became a threat. If that was true, then quarians were certainly more gutsy then most of the Citadel races.

As her eyes scanned the letter, Shepard arched an eyebrow at the content of letter, she couldn't help it, she shook her head in amusement at what this quarian, Tali had written her. The language the quarian used was too formal, even for an alien. It was a letter a nervous lover gives the parents when there child is feeling blue. the thought of some stammering quarian girl making nice with her son nearly made her chuckle at the sheer absurdity about it. Briefly she thought about messaging her boy and asking if his honor or his purity was still intact. Completely embarrass her wayward son.

Perhaps a shotgun interrogation was in order. Teach the quarian about how human parents deal with potential mates of their children. Relationship or not, Poor Tali'Zorah, she had no clue what she was getting into.

Still, it took a lot of guts to be messaging her. None of any of John's previous potential interests had any stones to give her a message so openly. Not the human, not the asari. Must have been a quarian thing. Get to the source of the problem and fix it. Goddamn good thing to live by. If they were seeing each other, she mght have been too good for him.

Hannah sighed and tapped reply. Might as well be a parent for the first time half a dozen years.

_Recipient: Tali'Zorah vas Neema_

_Miss Zorah_

_On patrol on the fringe of terminus space, will contact you when I get closer to civilation and you have the time to see me. Good luck with John. _

_Cordinally._

_Captain Hannah Shepard_

Cold and distant yet showing only the slightest of interest. Perfect response. Hannah hit the send icon and unglued herself from her seat. She slid onto the bed and wrapped herself up in the blanket Her eyes staring up at the ceiling. String anywhere expect at the picture from of Mark, and her at John's graduation from N7 training. Memories like that only brought back the cold dread that she avoided through command, through self restraint. That dread was the fact that nothing would ever be like that again

Still, perhaps this quarian girl, Tali could help, at least enough to establish some sort relationship the broken family once had. If it only was a chance, Well, Hannah would take it. It was better then nothing.

Hannah's eyes glanced at the picture on the table. The trio stared right back, lips n a wide smile.

Anything was better then what she had now.

...

* * *

...

**Yes, I'm done! drop a to read have question'sI'lldomy best to reply to them. For now, here are one or two of the most obvious ones,**

**Q: The Illusive Man is sleeping with an Alien?**

**A: Well yes he is, and it's canon as well. I have noticed that I have only seen her used once in a story and only mentioned briefly,she kinda came off to me as a whore. I don't think that she is. By the time that Matriarch stage has kicked in, they tend to be more reserve about who they're sleeping with. Not looking just for the sex itself, but for real companionship. Of course there wll still be sex addict Matriarchs, But I firmly believe that Trelanni holds some kind of power, a power the Illusive Man may or may not be interested.**

**Q:Illusive Man is not actually a bad guy but a misunderstood and poorly represented man trying his best to save an ungrateful galaxy?**

**A: Like Saren before him, a vast majority of of fanfiction writers tend only see these men as stock villains, one dimensional bad guy leaders. Or, if you will allow it. Like antagonist characters ripped out Halo or Gears of War (Not knocking those two fine series... Well, Perhaps "Reach") Saren was bad but he had noble intentions. Survivl through cooperation. **

**The Illusive Man is good but he has some very misguided and distrustful qualities about him. His heart was and is in the right place, but he isn't bound to a morality that Shepard or his team can relate to. He wants survival of his species at ANY cost. Never at any point has he said he'd throw a race to the Reapers to protect his people. No. His stance is more "We'll protect you, I promise, however humanity must stand as leaders of the charge..."**

**Will the Illusive Man maintain this kinder image? Well, stick around. I hope that I'l give you something awesome**

**Thanks for reading!**

**DarkDanny**


	4. Assault

**This chapter was going to become an out of control 18-20 thousand word monster. For the sake of length and because I want to focus on Rampancy, my priority story. I will cut this chapter in half.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**...**

* * *

**...**

**Chapter Four: Assault: Part One.**

**...**

The viewscreens of the SSV Kharkov watched the small cargo ship carefully The Military vessel was only a hundred kilometers away from the Corsair designated ship. Everyone was at their stations with both Captain Mendes and his XO, Staff Commander Kaidan Alenko standing together, merely watching s the ship came closer and closer.

Kaidan clenched his jaw. The vessel was only sending distress signal. There were probably no lifeforms on board. Or perhaps Husks or geth were waiting silently for the Karakov to get nice and close. Call Kaidan paranoid if you wanted to, having worked with John Shepard. finding a ship drifting in space untouched was a bad sign.

"XO," Mendes said suddenly, turning his head slightly towards Alenko, "how are you holding up? you seem jumpy."

"Apprehensive sir. I don't like drifting ships, bad omen." Alenko returned as he rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't notice that his commanding officer was looking at him strangely.

"Bad omen?"

The Commander nodded curtly, "Yes sir," Kaidan confirmed, slowly he walked forward and touched the viewscreen, "Look at it sir," He said, tracing the image of the ship, "it hasn't been touched, meaning the crew is either alive or the crew is dead and something entirely different is on board."

The Captain looked at Kaidan for a moment before saying, "Experience son?"

"Yes sir, under Shepard we ran into a dozen or so of these sorts of ships." Alenko admitted, chuckling quietly, "We had to deal with husks, terrorists, even rachni and thorian creepers." With a grin he added, "If Shepard was good at one thing it was getting us all into more trouble then it was worth."

The Captain joined in the laughter, only in the form of a low rumble.

"Well, he certainly seems like he's a good man, My son had a chance to serve with him during the siege of Torfan." The captain mused, earning a surprised look from Kaidan. "My boy didn't come home though," He added diminutively.

The Commander softened the look in his eyes. Torfan was a nightmare for both the people defending the moon and the Alliance attacking it. He had heard stories of his old Commander serving there. Heard nasty rumors of things he did to the slavers. He never believed them for a moment. John Shepard was a bastard and a big one at that. But Alenko was ever able to by into the stories that the Commander had shot down woman, children and innocents just to send the message that humans were much more frightening race then the batarians could ever dream to be.

"You lost your son on Torfan sir?" Alenko finally queried aloud to his superior. Mendes looked him over and nodded mutely in acknowledgment.

"Yeah, my boy, Rico," He murmured quietly "he was serving with the 614th out of Shanxi. Shepard was with the 371th out of Earth. I guess there was some logistical errors and combined standard foxtrot units during war, a couple squads from each unit had to combined and pressed on."

Alenko nodded, "Did they know each other?" he queried. Mendes shook his head as he placed his hands behind his back.

"No, after the designated leader got herself KIA and Shepard took over, they were doing a sweep and clear op leading up to the one of the major slaver bases on the moon." Mendes explained "My son found a slave pit with several asari children and an adult overseer, an ex turian soldier, mind you, nearly every turian is a veteran." The captain huffed distastefully, adding, "The slaves had clickers on, weren't able to flee to safety. So my son stayed to help."

Alenko blinked at the phrase and decided to ask "Clickers sir?"

"It's like a dog collar," The commanding officer explained to his second, "it's wrapped around the victims neck with moderate sized explosive device. It's called a clicker because it's the last thing a slave hears before their head turn in to a fine mist."

Alenko's olive complexion nearly paled at the visual he was imagining. How in the hell could another species do that to another? Sure, he knew that batarians looked at slavery as apart of their caste system, but they should have been slaving each others, not other species who had wanted no part of the practice.

"Anyways," The older man continued, "My son told Shepard's unit to go on without him so he could save them which they obliged. He did save them too, managed to get out all the children out of the collars, He wasn't so lucky when he got to the turian."

Mendes went silent, he squinted his eyes slightly at Kaidan and gestured him to follow, which Alenko quietly obliged. It was clear to him that the captain was walking to focus his attention away from his sons loss. He couldn't blame the man for it. Kaidan could never imagine the pain of losing a child. He promised himself as well that he'd never subject himself to it either.

As the men reached the command deck, Mendes paused and overlooked his men scrambling around the CIC in order to get into proper position. One of the navigators came marching up to her officers. Datapad in hand.

"14 kilometers sir," She briskly stated to them, "Major Danvers and his crew are prepared ETA 3 minutes until latch on."

The Captain murmured "Acknowledged" to the navigator. The woman saluted and and marched back down to her station. Mendes rubbed his eyes, he was slightly tired looking.

"An alliance patrol with several asari commandos attached to it found the kids clutching to Rico's body like they could bring him back." The captain finally said, taking a step forward to turn around and faced Alenko once again, his face stonelike, "asari's honored him posthumously. Gave me his medals, gave me their gratitude. Hell," Mendes snorted, shaking his head, "they're talking about naming one of their new colonies moons after him."

There was a pregnant pause, a moment of silence between the men. With shaking hands, Enrico Mendes pulled his pipe out of his pocket and idly handled it.

"I'd rather have my boy back though." He whispered finally, slipping the pipe away again and turning his eyes towards Alenko again. Alenko said absolutely nothing. There was nothing he could say to him. At least nothing that could have comforted the older ship's captain.

"I know how opposed you are to Cerberus. Saw your file" Mendes said, changing the topic all together. "So much so that you'd tore into a man who had saved your life twice over his allegiance."

Alenko shifted uncomfortably, that was an understatement. Mendes smiled knowingly.

"Son, I was a 18 year old naval cadet on Shanxi when the turians dropped by for their first little visit." Mendes informed him, "My entire naval class joined the resistance against the invasion. they were savages because they arrogantly thought we were savages."

Mendes expelled a short exhale, the sound it made was reminiscently to a forced barking laugh.

"The turians could have came to our world peacefully, They didn't." Mendes pressed on, his expression darkening, "They could have informed our leaders about the dangers of opening relays casually. They didn't. They could could have landed on Shanxi captured the world and treated the humans humanely. Without summary executions, no enforced starvation. no reckless orbital bombing campaigns. They didn't."

Their was a shared silence between the two men as they watched the the vessel become more and more apparent on the viewscreen. Kaidan looked up, oly to find his captain looking at the screen, yet completely unfocused from it.

"They were a council species, they had been in contact with other races for thousands of years." The captain muttered out suddenly catching Kaidan's attention, "Yet, they went about the situation like damn lunatics. As a result tens of thousands of civilians were needlessly killed because they were too thick headed to even give pause to the fact that maybe we were pretty new to this whole mass relay thing."

Mendes slipped the pipe back into his pocket. Slowly, he lowered his head, yet again he was lost in his thoughts. Kaidan thought over all that had been said to him. The turians were wrong certainly. They even admitted a few years back after Shepard's demise making a massive leap forward in the friendship between the two species. Still. Words didn't bring back the thousands needlessly lost to such a pointless war.

Kaidan looked up to see the captain regathering his solid image and turned to face the younger man.

"Cerberus has a lot of blood on its hands over its brief thirty year existence, Kaidan. That I do not doubt for a second." The Captain admitted to Alenko "But so does every legitimate organization attached to the species they fight for. The STG. Commandos, Spectre's. All of them more dirty than anything Cerberus has ever done. They've committed genocide mass murder, started a dozen wars."

"But they're accountable to governments. Cerberus is a privately run organization that's known for attacking human interests as well as alien." Kaidan retorted, forgetting formality as the debate heated up. The Captain looked ready to retort but an announcement was made on the overhead speaker.

"Sir. We're two minutes thirty seconds from connection."

"We'll continue this later, Commander. Get into position." The captain sighed. XO Alenko snapped out a crisp salute and wandered of the CIC and onto the bridge. His attention solely on the docking. Well. It was mostly. a small part of his mind questioned the support the Captain had for the organization. He hoped to hell that it was just talk of an upset father. The thought of another high ranking intelligent officer joining the Cerberus ranks made him nervous.

**...  


* * *

  
...**

"Two minutes out Massani. Get the diversion team in place."

Zaeed grunted impatiently as he slammed his M8 Avenger back on the table. He pulled hie EVA helmet as he pulled open his guncase. His hands grazed over each assault rifle. All of them had a rich, violent history in hs hands. They were his reason continuous survival in a deadly galaxy.

Stashed away behind his active duty rifles was Jessie. The ol' work horse of his early days after his stint in the alliance. Such a wonderful rifle. What this old mercenary wouldn't do to have her on just one more mission.

As he reminisced of his and Jessie's history. His hands stopped over the stock of his M-76 Revenant. For a job as escalated as this, Zaeed needed all the firepower they could get. He grabbed the Light machine gun and strapped it over the magnetic strip on his back as he departed from the room.

He walked down the corridor at a casual pace, locking down every seal and clamp on his EVA suit. The Anton sat in the pilot seat. When he heard trudging of familiar boots, he turned around and gave Massani a swift nod, which he returned, stepped into the airlock he was now in the company of four other batarians. Their leader, Morok was talking to the lowly. Prepping his cannon fodder for the bloody assault.

"You ready, Morok?" Zaeed rumbled lowly, his hand tapping the back of the batarian's helmet. The batarian turned around and nodded. Looking satisfied, The human placed his darkened helmet on. and hit the airlock seal. There was a hiss as the air and gravity was sucked out of the room. preparing the strike team for their Extra vehicular dive.**  
**  
_This is your captain speaking, I have initiated Xerxes. Blowing the hatch in 3...2...1.  
_

The external airlock door slid open. Revealing the far, dark reaches of space. Zaeed exhaled. Behind his one way visor, he grinned. EVA jumps were one of the last real exciting rushes for the hardened warlord. He turned back to the batarian pirates behind him and waved his hand.

"Follow my lead." He said through his commlink. With a blast of his backpacked thrusters, he pushed himself out of the airlock and into the embrace of space. He was now completely out of the ship. The batarians were not far behind him. As paranoid as he was, he knew that the fuckers wouldn't do a goddamn thing. Much too greedy to let a single credit go to waste.

What seemed like far below them, the Alliance Heavy Cruiser. SSV Kharkov was underneath the assault team. Zaeed sent the team an electronic HUD order to fire up the thrusters as fast as they could go and hit the ship as quick as fireteam did so. All five of them came barreling through the abyss and towards the helpless looking military vessel. There was no reaction from the Karakov. none of the weapons systems fired. The ship didn't even move, it was held in place by the invisible artificial intelligence.

They hit the side of the ship, exactly where they were suppose to have landed, right on top of the windowed observation deck. But the windows weren't there anymore. Greeting him and the team was the smooth texture of plate armor that went over the widows during combat. tricky bastards must have been ready for a fight or the shutters were already down by the time Xerxes had infiltrated.

"Xerxes." Zaeed snapped out loudly as his hands pounded against the sliding reinforced armor shutters. "they've locked down the shutters to the portside observation. Deal with it."

The moment the order had been given the AI opened the the shutters. It gave Massani a chance to peer through the window. Making him curse out an audible "Fuck" to his team. Inside was was a full squad of navy pukes that could cause the team a headache had they started to breakthrough. While focused on trying to free themselves they would certainly know if someone was torching through the window.

One of the men turned his attention away from the door. The young buck crewman's mouth dropped open at the sight of five men hanging off the window , staring back at him. Suddenly he started to screaming noiseless to his compatriots who turned around. All of them begun shouting and pointing their weapons fruitlessly at the observation window. Zaeed waved at them ruthlessly.

Fuck it. he had no time to deal with it.

"Xerxes, we got seven alliance marines looking at us. Get rid of them." Zaeed ordered the AI over his commlink for all to hear. Morok and the batarians looked at him in surprise. To them, the thought of a human so willing to destroy his own people shocked them. Zaeed did not look back. Killing was a finality, no matter what species he did it too.

The moment the order went through. The soldiers trapped in the room exploded into sheer explosive terror. Zaeed closed his eyes in self disgust, the AI Xerxes was presumably vacuuming the air right out of the room. right from their very lungs. The terror in their eyes only increased as they gulped and struggled for a last gulps of oxygen.

"Horrible fucking way to die." Zaeed lamented as he opened his eyes to pay a odd respect for the men choking and dying before their very eyes. Even the batarians agreed. even if they were alliance scum to them.

As the last sign of life left the men in the room Zaeed smacked Morok hard. He turned to the human and nodded. pulling small plasma torch out of the supply case on his back. One of Morok's underlings did the same and together the team cut through the glass at a temperature of 40,000 degrees.

The glass melted away and cause the room to go full vacuum. Sucking everything not nailed down out of the hole made by the Pirates. Zaeed winced as he watched the corpses get sucked out into the coldness of space. A final insult for the poor, young bastards. Morok finished his cutting and turned the torch off. Quickly he pulled himself inside the ship, followed by Zaeed and the others.

"Close the shutters and repressurize!" Zaeed ordered which the artificial intelligence obliged. A hissing noise came as the shutters closed. Oxygen and gravity was being pressed back inside. The Warlord looked around the room menacingly

"Xerxes is reporting a massive firefight in the cargo deck." Anton transmitted to the human as he took off his helmet. "If Morok and his men assaulted from the rear, The marine fireteam will be cut down in crossfire.**"**

Zaeed nodded to himself. his hands dragging his Reverant from her resting place on his back.

"Sounds good." Zaeed growled as he turned to Morok ad the batarians. "Get going you four." He snapped at them, "Xerxes will guide you on your Navigation system. I have to go get my packages. Alone." He accentuated sneeringly.

The batarian leader stared stoically at the human. Zaeed tilted his head forward and formed a sneer on his deformed face. After a long tense moment, Morok shook his head and barked to the other who all nodded and followed their leaders out of the room in silence, leaving Zaeed by himself.

"Fucking meat shields.' Zaeed grumbled as he stepped forward exiting the Observation deck. He only managed to go four steps before two schmucks went running through the corridor screaming to each other in Spanish. Zaeed reacted lightening quick. He pulled the trigger and hit the two, a man and a woman with hypervelocity slugs, tearing them apart into bloody husks of the people they once were.

Zaeed stepped over the bodies and turned finding a marine attempting to lock in a heatclip into his rifle. Massani smashed a quick burst into his chest dropping him dead in a puddle of his own blood. Zaeed curled his lip up. Blood was spilled, there was no going back now. Time to find the Connors. and kill any fucking fool in his way.

**...**  
**

* * *

**

**...**

The ship groaned as if steel was scraping alongside steel. The power to the vessel went out for a full five seconds before the power came back online. In that brief five second window, The whole combat information center had turned into a nightmare with both man and machine doing the screaming.

"What in the hell was that? Status report, NOW!" Mendes roared out to his navigation officer in a hurry.

"Sir! Engineer Diwan is reporting wide scale electrical disruptions to the ships sensors as well as essential and nonessential systems are being knocked out one by one!" The man shouted back to his CO. One of the crewmen turned around towards Mendes trying to stay cool.

"Sir! we're locked onto the ship!"

"Break away from the vessel immediately!" The captain returned back as he and Alenko went charging down to the bridge to aid the captain and get further orders.

Before the two could speak, the crewman in charge of overriding the connection looked up from his terminal and shouted back, "Unable sir, the hatch is locked into place and under a 321 key encryption. We're not going anywhere!"

With an audible "Fuck" spat out by the CO as he reached the forward bridge with Alenko only steps behind. On the forward bridge were a handful of his men and women scrambling as they attempted to bring power back online to their consoles. The commanding officer and the XO split up. Alenko going to see the communication hub, Mendes the ships main Gunnery Officer Lowe.

"Forget the message, Lowe, The Captain roared out as another screech came over the intercom, "it's a trap, arm the GARDIAN point defense cannons, cut that ship two Goddammit!"

Lowe nodded, seemingly having the very same idea as Captain Mendes.

"Charging at 14 percent." Lowe snapped back her eyes watching the charge rate carefully until she felt her stomach drop. The screen blanked out before the image came back, the image of "Insufficient power" being blinked in front of her. "Shit!" She cried, slamming her fist onto the keyboard, and looking up, fear in her eyes as she added, "Sir, they're offline, firing mechanism has been completely jammed up too."

"Di-Diwan has lost thruster power from the mass effect drive sir," Flight lieutenant O'Brien called out as well, his own voice stammering "We're sitting ducks out here!"

"Calm down, we have to keep our heads." Mendes ordered as he turned back to find Alenko who was running back to him, "Alenko," He spoke up, grabbing Kaidan by the arm. "Get on the horn and send out an SOS to the alliance, In my last briefing they had a flotilla of training frigates not far from here!"

"Oh god sir," The Communication's office hissed out trying to maintain control of himself, "Something is cutting off communications. Our beacons were just jettisoned without transmissions. Sir I think we've been infiltrated by something, not someone."

Mendes blinked as he rubbed his nose, the red lights over his head bothering his eyes. Could this be a geth attack? It happened weeks prior to the Serrano. No one survived that at all, not even the damn admiral! The Captain felt a shake on his shoulder and turned around. It was Alenko.

"Sir, what about a personal non-alliance encrypted extranet communication channel?" Alenko whispered thoughtfully, "I could go contact Councilor Anderson. He could relay the message to the flotilla. Be our third party contact."

Mendes blinked, it only took a fraction of a second to process the brand new information from his second-in-command. He looked back up. "What are you waiting for Commander," He commanded furiously, "DOUBLE TIME IT!"

The Commander nodded and turned around he ran down off the forward bridge through the communication center and cleared off out of the CIC. His destination was to his private quarters. He ran between the dozens of crew members running from station to station looking for something to help out with. Overhead the loudspeakers came to life. on them was none other than Liam Danvers.

_This is Major Danvers, Executive order 376 is now in place, all non essential personnel are to raid the armory and double time to the cargo deck. This is not a drill! We're being boarded, repeat , We're being boarded._

Shit, this was bad, this was real bad. They were being boarded. who in their right mind would attack a bloody heavy cruiser in the middle of Council space? As Kaidan ran by the armory he was stopped and handed a heavy pistol and several heat clips. Alenko took it graciously.

He left the armories door and and continued running. He was nearly there now, just 76 paces pass the the brig. In the brig stood a two man marine fireteam and the prisoner, John Connor standing there, a look of worry on his face. Kaidan ignored the murdered and pressed only 50 paces to go.

_M-M-Massive sys-sys-Systems error on the portside observat-ion deck. Emergancy lockdown engaged. _The VI stuttered out to informed the crew. No one was paying attention. especially not Alenko as he slammed himself next to his bed and opened up one of the drawls. He pulled out a small OSD that had been given to him by David Anderson for emergencies.

He sat down at his private terminal and booted it up, pressing the OSD into the machine.

"Get me a real time connection to Councilor David Anderson." He ordered the computers VI. It obliged and found himself staring at the office of Councilor Anderson, without Anderson actually in it.

It was another long moment before finally someone came to the console. It was the last person Kaidan Alenko ever wanted to see.

"Yes?" The smug tone of Donnel Udina greeted the frantic looking Commander.

"Udina, I need to talk to Councilor Anderson right away." Kaidan started but was silenced by a wave of the ambassadors hand.

"Settle down Commander," Udina lectured roughly, "The Councilor can't be beckoned on your every whim. He's in high level talks at the moment, If I can't be a participant in them then you certainly can't interrupt."

Kaidan tried to protest. He really did. it took every nerve he had not to scream at the man. but before he could even formulate a reply, Donnel Udina hung up. Disconnecting the line with the Cruiser in distress. Alenko blinked, He failed. Udina thought this was a ruse so he disconnected before even bothering to listen to what he had to say. He doomed the ship over a grudge.

Alenko flew from his chair, grabbing it with his hands and he threw it hard against the opposite wall.

"SON OF A BITCH!" Alenko screamed at the monitor, "YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Shaking with unbridled rage and his head throbbing from migraine Alenko slumped to the floor. He steadied himself and tried his best to ignore the pain. His mind went into overdrive for alternatives to Anderson. Whatever had cut off the communications hadn't expected Alenko's secure channel. He was certain that it would crash it too the next time he used it. He had one more shot at it. He had to make it count.

He exhaled and sat up, eyes blazing with sheer determination.

"Reconnect the OSD. Get me a real time connection to Rahna Ghanem on the Citadel presidium, apartment block H apartment 27Y, mark absolute priority." He commanded. The VI program obliged and made the link up to the Citadel, to his Rahna. Kaidan couldn't help it. Despite the worsening situation on hand. He still smiled at the sight of her.

A woman sat there, her dark chocolates eyes downcast at a few reports, loose long curled black hair hanging over most of her face. One of her fingernails was being bitten as she gazed at her work. There was loud ring causing her to look up startled at the screen. But when She saw Kaidan's face, she calmed down and smiled brightly for him. A smile he attempted to return.

"Kaidan?" She breathed leaning forward and queried uncertainly, "Kaidan love, are you okay?"

Alenko shook his head reluctantly.

"No, listen to me Rahna," He said, touching the image of his girlfriends cheek, as if he was there with her, "I need you to get in contact with Alliance command, use this video footage I'm sending as evidence." with an unsteady exhale he added "Tell them the SSV Karakov has been electronically attacked and now we have boarders cutting though the cargobay airlock."

Rahna looked nearly ready to scream but Alenko pressed his hand over his lip and shushed her soothingly. He looked at her carefully, the expression on her face was like the day he had killed Commander Vyrnnus to protect her. He smiled for her, attempting to calm her down. It worked, only a little bit.

"Tell them to send the closest fleet assets they have." Kaidan attempted to continue, he wanted so bad to whisper comforting words to her, "This is absolutely vital that you transmit this data to.."

"Kaidan, Kaidan! you're breaking up!" Rahna cried out, cutting him off. Her eyes watering and her lips trembling in fear. Kaidan steeled himself. He couldn't break down. She had to give them that data.

"Rahna, take it to the the navy." He begged her as the image begun to break up more and more frequently. Just when Rahna was about to speak the audio broke down. Kaidan could lip read the swearing coming from the other end. He smiled sadly for her, pressing his hand to the screen again

Rahna wasn't paying attention however, She was furiously typing something into her datapad. When she was finally done, she lifted it up and pressed it close to the screen.

_-I'll Tell Them Everything. I LOVE YOU KAIDAN, I LOVE YOU KAIDAN, PLEASE SURVIVE. PLEASE._

Slow tears were streaming down her cheeks as she stared at him. Even without audio output he could see her saying "please" over and over again. Kaidan dried his own tears and and looked at her resolutely. He nodded, his silent promise to her.

"I love you so much." He said clearly, making a point to mouth it out for her. He leaned in and quietly, he pressed his lips to where hers were. He did not close his eyes, instead he watched her do the same. Somehow despite being hundreds of lightyears apart, he could still feel her soft biotic charged lips touch his like there were no distance between them.

And just like that, the screen flickered out and died.

Kaidan sat there, looking at a blank screen. For moment longer he sat there until he registered the sound of faint gunfire from the lower decks. As he loaded his Pistol's heat clip in he glanced back at the sock drawer he had stashed his OSD. He walked over and reached inside, rummaging for a moment until his hands froze. He found what he was looking for.

He pulled out a small box and opened it up. It was an engagment ring. inscribed inside were the words.

_Rhana, I'll always protect you. Love, Kaidan._

Kaidan pulled a long necklace from out of the drawel finally. It was a hamsa, Made of string, beads and clay. It had been given to him from Rahna's little sister as Christmas present the previous year. He carefully pulled the necklace apart and slid Rahna's Engagement ring down the string and in front of the clay tailsmen.

As he stood up, putting his necklace around him, There was only one thought on his mind that very moment. No one wasn't going make him break his promise to her.

He was going to survive.

**...**

**

* * *

**

**...**

"Oh, the follies of living in a bar!"

From behind her mask, Tali rolled her eyes at the sight. Kasumi was sitting behind the bar. in front of her was enough alcohol to knock down a Krogan. Not that it particularly mattered to Kasumi Goto. she was getting drunk. No matter how much her new quarian friend told her she didn't need to do it.

Another one of Kasumi's song was playing over the her omni-tool. The song seemed to have managed to get her to sing along to it. Her body spun in the seat, dancing long to the beat. Tali wasn't paying any mind to Kasumi. Her attention was on the song. Human music was so... different then quarians. Quarian music revolved around one of two things either the voice as the only instrument or instruments and no spoken words, not a group of musicians undermining the voice or a voice drowning out strong melody.

"_And when the fires came, __The smell of cinders and rain, Perfumed almost everything, We laughed and laughed and laughed!" _Kasumi spat out overtop of the singers voice. despite Kasumi drunkingly butchering the tune, she rather was fond of the music Kasumi was sharing with her. She had lately had a very good reason to get to know humans better, might as well, learn a bit of their culture as well. Pouring herself a new glass she stood up and tore off her hood. Kasumi's eyes were wild looking to the quarian. It was the same glazed look Shepard had when he was overindulging.

"To long lost loves!" Kasumi cheered out, her glass above her head. "Forever I will miss your beautiful smile!"

The smile on the human's face disappeared as the alcohol touched her lips. With a thud into her seat, she looked away distantly. It was clear to Tali just what was on Kasumi's mind. Keiji, and the inevitable face to face meeting with the orchestrator of her friends murder. She thought she could understand where the thief was coming from, losing Shepard was hard on her.

But this was different. Keiji was tortured and killed. John wasn't.

"You know, if we had met two years ago I'm more then certain you'd join me in that toast enthusiastically." She muttered to herself as she rested her skull on the table. Tali said nothing but closed her eyes. She had gotten lucky. Kasumi hadn't.

"Oh right. You were too shy and you let Liara T'Soni fill that spot." She drunkingly taunted the quarian. Tali looked up and scowled darkly at Kasumi for the statement made. Even loaded, Kasumi could noticed Tali's hands forming tight fists.

"Sorry." she added as she shook her head and sat back down, her hand rubbing her forehead. Tali sighed and forgave her. For now.

"I got to say though," Kasumi mused, smirking at the woman, "I'm probably going to bet that you two have, like, a massive showdown for Shepard's honor. She has the biotics, But you have the surprising scary strength."

Kasumi fell silent as she went back to her drink. She did not, nor could she have noticed that Tali wasn't flattered at the comment, If anything a cold reality hit her for the first time since their reunion on Freedom's Progress. Doctor T'Soni. That whole situation had not been dealt with.

They had already touched on Illium. Shepard had every intention to meet up with the maiden asari , however a full contingent of Illium security rushed by. All of them with the intention of bringing in the asari Justicar, Samara for detention. Shepard quickly determined that if that many asari were being sent to keep her from doing something big, It was best to skip the meeting and secure his newest team member,

When they arrived back on the Normandy, it seemed both Shepard and her got bad news, for her the trial, for him, the loss of a father. With all the events of recent, the Liara T'Soni question was brushed to the background.

"I'm not seeing Shepard." Tali returned distantly, "If he wants to be with Liara... I will be fine with that. She could provide him much more then I ever could hope to."

Kasumi blinked and then her face softened up, forming a sweet smile for the young woman. She practically melted.

"Awwww," The woman cooed in a teasing tone as she envisioned bush on Tali's concealed face, "Is the future Tali'Shepard vas Normandy dreaming of little human/quarian babies running around the house? Perhaps with, like, Aunt Kasumi spoiling them rotting and you lecturing me?"

Tali shifted in her seat, her hands wringing nervously.

"Wow, you really do like him. I mean, not just like, I mean... you actually love him." Kasumi breathed, a crooked smile on her face for her friend. The other woman looked up. She closed her eyes for a brief second and nodded very curtly. The thief nearly pressed her palm into her face, "Why didn't you tell him?" She had to ask her,her voice in disbelief "Why didn't the moment you felt these sorts of things, approach him and explain what you really were to him?"

"I was young," Tali reminisced, her accented voice spoke, "I had my father's expectations to live up too. I had an entire people watching me and my every move. Plus... Plus it was hard to even start to begin with."

"Hard to even start?"

Tali smiled slightly from behind her mask. Perhaps she should use her dashing Commander explanation she had once used on her Auntie Raan. It was an accidentally slip up that had earned a completely shocked reaction from the elder quarian. Tali decided against it. f he ever could work up her courage, Shepard would be the last person she'd say it too.

"The moment I'd approach to... you know, try to be friendly. he'd give me this smile and I would completely lose it and forget what I wanted to say and instead babbled like an idiot about topics that probably bored him. Like, I'm doing right now." Tali spoke, hanging her hands over the top of her visor. As she swallowed down another glass of vodka and squirmed in disgust. Kasumi laughed at the truth of her statement.

"Such as?"

Tali felt a mild heat from embarrassment as she recalled the conversations that the Commander and her had, finally she looked up,"The geth, my immune system, what kind of relationship I have with my father." Tali listed off quietly, "Quarian things. Never once could I...well, you know..."

Tali shuffled in her seat. She looked for the right words as her mind went blank for good couple of seconds. Finally she looked from behind her mask.

"Talk about how I felt." She finished, with a surprising tone of confidence. Goto looked at Tali curiously.

"And now?" She asked her, rubbing her blurred eyes, "You're a little older now. Plus you know Shepard so much better now. A little less awkward now right?"

"Yes," Tali agreed, exhaling softly, "but lately, he's been giving me that smile I mentioned, and well... well I lose the nerve." She admitted, "In order to do any real talking he has to be the one who approaches me in order to even talk about something beyond our work."

Kasumi smiled as she watched the quarian wringing her hands nervously, not just her own hands Tali's legs were clenching together. The woman smirked, Something had to have been on the not so innocent woman's mind.

"And recently?" She said as she sat up from her place at the bar, dragging a bottle of brandy with her as she took a seat on the couch, "You know, since your little Omega excursion?" She added mischievously. Tali's eyes widened slightly at the human woman gazing at her knowingly. She shook her head and lowered her head.

"We've been... well, flirting." She finally admitted. She did her best to ignore the loud, excited squeal from the drunk human. The woman flashed a bright smile for her success with her first ever attempt at getting beyond just simple friendship. Of course she was unable to ignore Kasumi flying into her lap and hugging her with as much grip as Shepard did.

She wasn't far from the truth. During her childhood, during nearly every quarians childhood, girls stayed away from boys, boys away from girl. During her teenage years she had gathered the interest of others. But because of her desire to please her father, her thoughts remained solely based on the survival if the fleet. It certainly gave her a reputation as cold and unapproachable, which was far away from the truth.

"I followed what you suggested..." Tali went on as Kasumi cracked open the bottle and slid back into her seat, "We were a bit to...inebriated to do much talking. But... definitely dancing the issue."She finished lamely, the feeling of using a foreign metaphors was strange to say.

"I told you human idioms are fun." Kasumi stated cheerfully, impressed by how smooth the Quarian said it.

"Morning, ladies."A sly voice came from the doorway. "A little early to be hitting the sauce don't you think?"

The two women looked up. In the doorway stood the Commander, eying both of them up in amusement. The human grinned but the quarian's eyes widened as she took in the target of her affection's makeover.

Gone were the military dress uniforms and casual attire that Cerberus had provided Shepard and replacing it was an expensively tailor double breasted black suit with white lining. Slowly her eyes traveled up and down John's body. The suit fit perfectly against him. So perfectly in fact that Tali found herself wondering what it would be like taking it off of him.

"Commander Shepard." Kasumi said, snapping back a covertly flushes Tali'Zorah back to reality. "I see you like my present! looking pretty good on you."

"Yeah, I gotta admit I'm liking civilian clothing." Shepard returned, intense blue eyes never looking away from Tali. The look made the young woman bite her lip and nearly melt into her seat. How did he do that? How did an alien manage to turn her on with a simple gaze? She was quarian for keelah sake. She could only understand a bare minimum of human body language, but somehow this look translated across species.

"Tali, you're sooo coming with me shopping on the Citadel." Kasumi slurred out, elbowing her knee. "We can, like, spruce that pretty little environmental suit up .It'll be pretty fun."

Tali looked over and patted Kasumi's knee, she was unable to find her words. The room went silent, the only noise being made between the three of them was turned down human music and the thief sipping from the bottle. Her thoughts drifting off to the man she'd lost. Shepard gave it another moment before he cleared his throat.

"So," Shepard awkwardly spoke up."What do you think Miss Zorah? Do I fit into this thing?"

Shepard, held his arms, allowing a blushing quarian a moment more to fully appreciate him and gave her some time to steady herself. She had to remain in control of herself. Flirt, and be a little interested in hope that his thick male mind would get the subtle messages. Tali sighed. her private conversations with Yeoman Chmbers and Kasumi were making her... girly.

"You look, well, very handsome." She slowly observed. When she saw him smile, she added, "Whoever Kasumi stole it from had good taste."

Shepard laughed warmly. Kasumi on the the other, didn't.

"I bought those clothing with my hard earned credits I'll have you know!" Goto pouted, crossing her arms and narrowing her unfocused eyes at her friend. Tali looked up to John briefly one last time before looking at Kasumi, crossing her arms as well.

"Credits you earned from stealing other peoples valuables." Tali retorted, her voice playful.

Kasumi scowled darkly.

"You two get along." Shepard interrupted the exchange before it got too heated, he smirked at them as he rubbed the back of his head. When John wasn't looking at the two women, Kasumi shot Tali a glare and then stuck her tongue out at her as she stood up from her couch seat.

"By the way, I'm calling a ground team meeting in an hour." The commander announced as he took a step back out of the observation deck,"We gotta go over our revised schedule. Tell them about our turn around."

"Schedule?" Kasumi repeated mildly bored as she slumped down onto her bed and stretched out with a groaning yawn.

"I tend to keep the books open for our investor." Shepard informed the thief "He doesn't strike me as someone who likes us casually running around the galaxy without keeping a record for him."

"Whatever," Kasumi snapped as she plopped onto her bed, "I'm not very impressed with Mister Illusive right now. I'm drunk, I haven't slept and I'm not feeling my usually social self. You'll forgive me if I tell you that I'm not going anywhere."

Shepard snorted, "That's acceptable." He said, turning back to the engineer he added, "Tali, of you want to skip the meeting-"

"No!" Tali shot out immediately, cutting the Commander off, She watched him blink as she hurriedly adding "I-I mean...yes, it's a tempting offer and all, but Its best if I were to be apart of the meeting, you know, in case you get in trouble."

She looked at him exasperated and shrugged her shoulders thanking her mask for concealing her embarrassment. Shepard chuckled softly as he shook his head in amusement

"My Quarian bodyguard," Shepard mused thoughtfully, "I think I could live with that. I have to make sure Samara is settling in. until then."

With a respectful nod of his head for Tali, and by extension, a half passed out Kasumi, he turned around and left the room, leaving the girls in silence. With soft sigh Tali laid herself down on the couch, hers thoughts of a blue eyed commander dominating over even her own work onboard the Normandy.

"So." Kasumi's voice spoke up sleepily, "You wanna get it out of the way and go over some good quarian/human hybrid baby names right now?"

Tali groaned and covered her mask with her hands in sheer embarrassment.

...

* * *

...

"WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING, LET ME THE FUCK OUT!"

The guards ignored the rage in the voice of John Connor. He was minding his own business when it felt as though an explosion had rocketed throughout the ship. Whatever the hell happened was big enough to turn what seemed like a well disciplined force into panicked sniveling cowards. This could be his big chance to finally get to Cameron. at long last. The field surrounding the cell had died on several occasions. Kick out one of the guards leags. Grab him by his helmet and threaten to break his neck uness he could get to the soldiers sidearm.

His mind was foggy. Mostly from the sedatives he was being injected with on a regular basis since his flight trough space begun. When he had Cameron, then she could do most of the thinking until he cleared up. It felt like an hour as he waited, his mind deliberated on whether or not he going through with the plan. Every bit of him told him to keep calm. That this may have been a test, so thats what he would do. wait until he could be near Cameron again before he coud do anything like this.

At least that was the plan until the opportunity became clear.

The field died and just like that, John Connor's survivalist training kicked in as if he had just learned the moves from his guardian, his lover, his confident and his wife. He kicked out the guards leg and wrapped his arm round his neck. The other hand falling to the side to retrieve the handgun still in his holster. All this was done in the time for the second guard to notice and turned and pointed the rifle in his hand at the General and his human shield.

"Let him go, Asshole." The second guard demanded in a high pitched tone. Good. even drugged john knew that preexisting relationship was shared between them. It would make this bargain smoother.

"Listen to me, man. I don't really want to do this to him. but I have no choice in the matter." John returned softly, an amicable smile for the man. "You on the other hand. have all the cards. You're the one making the decisions now. So what's it going to be? You or I kill him and each other in a hail of gunfire?"

The guard in John's arms whimpered at the thought. The second man flinched but reaffirmed his stance.

"Or, how about this. I like this option better. " Connor continued, trying to maintain a dialog as he moved him and the guard towards the exit door. "We go for a walk, the three of us, down to the science labs and we all leave this mess aliv-"

There was a sudden loud crack and John Connor watched in horror as the head of the rifle armed guards was splattered all across the room. Only half the jaw of the man remained attached to him. The body dropped, flapping on the ground.

The guard in John's arms screamed only long enough to get the top of his head shot open, soaking John in the man's blood. Completely dazed, John looked up to find that an air vent was open. Then out of nowhere a massive bear of of a man came crashing out of it. Landing properly on the ground. He did not look at John at first, instead his attention on those whom he'd just killed.

"I'm afraid that neither were good options." The mysterious man said aloud in a thick accent. He looked up, revealing a brutally slashed up face to the almost as badly scarred General.

"John Connor, I reckon?" He inquired casually. John nodded mutely as he wiped the blood off his face.

"Yeah," He snapped back at the man. "Who the hell are you?"

"Name is Massani," The Man introduced himself as he pulled off the chest pate off the mostly decapitated soldier. "we have a... mutual friend that has no interest in you being jail."

A mutual interest. The man worked for Weaver. That had to be it. Only she knew of what she did to Cameron and him. John sighed as he pulled the strange armor over him. Back into the fire.

"Now." Massani said aloud. Prying the assault rifle out of the dead soldiers hands, "Let's go get that wife of yours."

John nodded in eager agreement as he caught the weapon. Nothing would make him more happy.

**...**

**

* * *

**

**...**

**Sorry for the wait. between everything going on I have to make prioties. I'll try not to take so long this time. But right now. My attention is completely focused on my TSCC story. Rampancy. If you haven't read it, you ought to, lol**

**Also. If you're interested in updates. I'll be doing so on twitter as much as possible. I go by the username DarkDanny1. hope to see you there.**

**Now, be sure to review! It's the only payment a writer here will ever get!**


	5. Codex 1

...

_Not a chapter, for which I apologize. Not to say I haven't been working on the new chapter. It's just that recently, I have sat down and seriously debated on where I wanted to go with this story. I have decided for less of a linear approach and much more ambitious. This is going to be a huge story to tell. So, to prepare you all for the story ever so often, I will release a codex as the story progresses. This Codex is meant for dual purposes. To teach Mass Effect fans about T:SCC and for T:SCC fans to learn about Mass Effect (Yes, I can confirm that some TSCC fans don't know ME) _

_Anyways, I hope that this will not deter you from the story and hope you will notice a new little element I have tossed in... _

_...

* * *

..._

_Welcome to Zeira Corporation, Project manager: __**NAME INSERTED HERE.**_

_This is your new handbook to the history of our exciting company. Your clearance determines the amount you get to learn. As you rise through the ranks of our Intergalactic Corporation, the more you shall be allowed to be privy to. For legal and security reasons; We expect you to abide by the boilerplate disclaimer that any and all leaks is a breach of the non discloser contract sign by you._

_We hope this will be an educational experience you shall not forget. We are excited to have you as a new member of the team. Together we will all shape an uncertain future into a bright one for humanity and all involved with us.  
_

_Catherine Weaver_

_CEO and Founder of Zeira Galactic Corporation_

_..._

_...  
_

**Table of Contents**

**Part 1: Basics: **_initial Access_

**1A/** Undoctored History of the Earth 2011-2157: _Approved_

**1B/** ZGC Involvement in the the Formation of the Systems Alliance: _Clearance_ _Pending_

**1**C/ Earth and her Relationship with the System's Alliance: _Clearance Pending _

**1D/** First Contact to Council Seat: ZGC's Backroom Politics: _Clearance Required_

**1E/ **Present Goals of the Corporation:_ Clearance Required_

**Part Two: Zeira Corporation and Cerberus: A Shared Vision:** _Clearance Pending_

**2A/** Origins of the Illusive Man

**2B/** Cerberus Resources and Backers

**2C/** Cerberus/Alien Relations

**2D/** The System Alliance's Unofficial Stance

**2E/**The Shared Vision

**Part 3: The Icarus Foundation: **_Subsections and Clearance Pending _

...

**Zeira Galatic Corperation Codex 1A: **

**Undoctored History of the Earth 2011-2157**

**April 2011:** Skynet, the first Artificial Intelligence is activated, it's goal is to manage the nation of the United States' strategic defense network. It fails. The AI Technician's poke and prod the AI into doing it's work fruitlessly. 48 hours later Skynet determines mankind is a threat as a whole and initiates a total nuclear war. Three and a quarter billion are killed. Over the next few years, Skynet automates factories into building killing machines with the intent of wiping Earth clean from organic life. Humanity resists the extermination program and rise back up.

The war against the Machines begin.

**June 2023:** The War against Machines draws to a close. Skynet's network is destroyed by a shaky alliance between humans and machines that do not agree with their creators extermination goal. General John Connor and adviser and wife, Cameron Connor disappear, presumably to retire. Machine leaders a T-1000 Nanite infiltration machine and a human built AI named, John Henry regather the machines while humans led by remaining resistance leaders head south to avoid another nuclear winter.

**September 2023: **Planning for the future s completed Skynet production lines repurposed and activated. T-1000, John Henry and his creator a human named Catherine Weaver initiate plans to rebuild major population centers with coexistance in mind.

**January 2027:** Clean up of major population centers are well underway by the machines. Humans from displaced nations ratify local governments for their people, An age of tribalism begins again for Humanity.

**August 2030:** Clean up in most major cities completed, ground level construction begins. In the human sectors, violence breaks out. The first tribal war begins over supplies allocation. Machine collective organizes a ceasefire and places peacekeeper Infiltration and termination units in the area.

**January 2031: **The first Supertower is complete in the rebuilding New York. Standing in at 1800 feet The Freedom Tower becomes a symbolic monument to the lives not only taken by the machines but by human hands as well throughout history, regardless of nationality. It remains the tallest building until June 2074.

**April 2042: **The Machines launch a first in a series of Phoenix series satellites. Phoenix series satellites double as both communication and Global Positioning satellites. Under the guise of Phoenix satellites, John Henry launches several of his own: Exploratory Probes.

**March 2057:** The following cities are nearly completely Rejuvenated to their pre Judgment Day states: Washington, New York, Madrid, London, Berlin, Warsaw. Over the next decade, these cities as well as 30 other major population centers reach Pre nuclear war development. Humans slowly begin trickling back to the Northern hemisphere.

**January 1****st**** 2060: **Zeira Corporation is refounded after 49 years of existence in name only. Descendant of Catherine and Lachlan Weaver, Catherine Savannah Weaver opens its door for the first time. Initially an R&D developer it will be another 15 years until they begin practicing business.

**July 2067: **Survivors and descendants are repatriated as machines redraw national boundaries. Machines begin to create a network of global communication and trade routes. In a few short years, mankind reverts back to corporatism and trader mentality.

**January 2074:** The Icarus Foundation is opened quietly. It by itself is the new Research and development sub company of Zeira Corporation.

**April 2080: **Zeira Corporation exploratory satellites discover a strange reading coming off of Mars. A massive energy flare up. Several probes are launched at the anomaly. It remains a mystery until 2148 when it was revealed to the general population that it was in fact a Dark energy flare up, most likely caused by a vessel of unknown origins.

**December 2082: **Icarus Foundation announces its products to the world: Transhuman augmentations and Human Genetic engineering. Religious sects across the Earth unify in their position and wage worldwide protests against the corporation and the Governments receptive embrace of Artificial human evolution.

**August 2088:** Belfast Riots. Religious fervor, anti word government protesters and Neo-Luddism proponents engage the Belfast Police in mass riots. Three hundred protesters and thirty seven police officers are killed after 3 days of intense riots and looting. The Belfast riots become a rallying call for a total civil unrest amongst the people of the Earth. Machines remain out of the conflict as Construction their own architectural designs mid completion point..

**July 2090: **Relations break down between the EU and Russia. The USA attempts to negotiate. However troubles at home distract the government. The anti augmentation riots become prevalent in Seattle, LA, Detroit, New York City and Washington DC. As a response to the worldwide tension, The goverments of the United States, Mexico and Canada form the NAC (North American Coalition.)

**May 2091: **The EU attack and seize the Ukraine. EU Forces push deep into Russia. Russians respond with an aggressive defense, stopping the Military cold in Sevastopol. In an unprecedented move, The NAC, (The USA in particular,) abandons traditional allies and reinforce the Russians through the Bering Straight. The European Wars begin.

**January 2094:** The EU surrenders the last cut of pocket in Kiev, Russian and North American Coalition forces press forward. As Russian and North American forces reach the Polish border, The EU sues for peace. Zeira Corporation announces at the Oslo peace accord of their discovery on Mars.

**December 2094:** A new era of friendship blooms between the two new reinvigorated superpowers. The Russian and American governments create a joint accord for a shared space agency with the goal of reaching and creating a colony on the moon by 2110 and the first manned missions by 2120. All with the warm assistance from Zeira Corporation.

**February 2095: **The United States government issues legislation on in vitro gene therapy. with a 99.87 success rate, Gene therapy makes birth defects, childhood cancers and chronic illness a thing of the past. Organizations across the country cry that big business has now dominated everything on the planet.

**March 2095:** The Month of Rage begins. Using distractionary protests around the world for the past few years. Religious sects, Anarchist organizations, Embittered European war veterans, Far left and Right groups and anti Technology terrorists unleash a stream of hell on the corporate world. Zeira Corporation's headquarters in Los Angeles is assaulted. Icarus buildings worldwide are attacked, several burning down. A unilateral marshal law is places over Russian and American spheres of influence. Eighteen thousand are killed in the first month.

**June 2104: **Subject 1 is born naturally. Born with perfect genetic markers without human or machine interference. Under observation until employment offer is made in 2123. _(More on Subject 1 in Chapter 2 Section A: Origins of the Illusive Man.)_

**April 2105:** Icarus Foundation begins to lower it's services prices for the middle class. Bringing mechanical and bio-mechanical augmentation to the masses. another round of violence plague the USA for the next year. By April 06 thirty one thousand are dead.

**December 11th 2110:** Violence around the word surprisingly ceases as for the first time since December 11th 1972: Man reaches the moon. Ukrainian and Canadian Astronauts Aleksandr Komaruc and Doctor Stephanie Henry choose to step on the moon at the same time. Solidifying the link between the two Superpowers and bringing the Earth to peace if only for a blink of an eye.

"_The sins of our father have forever scared our little world. Today we stand here divided not by nations, but unified as members a species that has long since outgrown our cradle. We stand here, together, ready to face our Galaxy."_

_-Aleksandr Komaruc_

**December 14****th**** 2110 : **Anti Technology and government organization named the Northwest Secessionist Front explode a massive a weaponized bubonic plague into the streets of New York. Two hundred thousand men, women and children are killed over the course of the plague which spreads across the North East Seaboard. Martial is reintroduced. Governments worldwide place a permanent ban on organized religion and protest groups and begin tracking down the various organizations that support terrorism against various Corporations and Governments.

**April 2121: **Mankind, despite continuous strife reaches the Mars via the twelve year old Armstrong Colony on Luna. Thirty men and women from a variety of nationalities are chosen to be the first human presence on Mars; this act marks Humanities first steps past the nuclear disaster that plagued mankind back into the stone age. Within 4 weeks, the science team discovers the source of the Dark Energy flare up. A prothean ruin. Science team is ordered to keep it under wraps until it can be fully understood.

**June**** 2123: **Subject One is recruited into Zeira Corporation Security and internal affairs. An ace in the hole against external and internal threats. Begins to dismantle smaller organizations and working from the bottom up.

**April 2132: **Subject One destroys the organization responsible for the New York Infection, Northern Secessionist Front. In one act of Solitary with their recently destroyed compatriots, newly form French terror cell, Silhouette Destroys the Statue of Liberty as a gesture of of the continued struggle. Subject One quits, disillusioned by the work he had been so focused on.

**October 21****st**** 2148: **The Governments of the Earth announce the discovery of the Mass Effect field. Zeira Corporation announces first engine designs 6 month later.

**January 2149: **Two hundred thousand Colonist applications are made for various new worlds discovered by the discovering of the Mass Relay. As a result, The Committee of Human Expansion, made up of the Corporate, political and military men and women formulate the creation of the Systems Alliance. An External government based on Earth meant to oversee the expansion and sending Colonists to new worlds

**March 2155: **As of 6 years into the Expansion, Humanity is now in possession of a dozen systems and almost 50 planets. As it will be later pointed out, faster then any other species since the Quarian immigrations prior to the geth wars.

**February 2157: **First is made with the Turians, resulting a bloody flash point conflict. Shortly after victory over the Turians, Humanity is introduced to the rest of the Galactic stage. Zeira Corporation is refounded to Zeira galactic Corporation and is the first human venture into an Alien marketplace. Subject 1 creates a new Alias, The Illusive Man (See Section 2A/ for further detail)

_This concludes your allotted information at this time. For further access, please complete a successful mandatory evaluation and notarize Act 15 Non disclosure papers. _

_Have a pleasant day._

...

* * *

...

Well I hope you all managed to keep your brin from exploding. Short version is. Earth is a much different place after the nuclear attaacks Hedonistic in nature and thrushed from an almost 2nd stone age to a civilized world to reside in. Also with the outlawing of organized religion, Earth is governed by strict social and personal morality. The relationship between Earth and her colonies and the Systems Alliance will be explained at a later date.

PS: This codex is not set in stone. Remember. Even your employees should never no the full truth.


	6. Break Out

**Well I hope this wait was worth the wait for all of you. I'm sorry. Should be better update next time. I'm finally clearing the action part and moving onto the stuff I like. Drama! Anyways Thanks again everyone!**

...

* * *

...

**Chapter Five: Break Out.**

**...**

The lights turned on, his pupils dilated, He screamed.

Instantly he was was standing up at attention as though he was still a first year naval cadet receiving a surprise inspection. Slowly his eyes adjusted the surrounds and bright florescent lights and a white, windowless room with only a cot inside of it. He was alive. He thought... he was on the Serrano. He watched as the bridge broke around him. He watched the men he was inspecting scream in panic as they tried to save their ship, save their lives..

He rubbed his face tenderly, his cheeks were rough with long facial hair, facial hair that he never had allowed to grow since he got his admiralty position. How long was he out for? Days? Weeks? his uniform was gone, instead he wore an Alliance issued off duty shirt and slacks. These too were even rumpled and aged.

His thoughts were interrupted by someone.. The door to his cell opened up and a a plainly dressed man stood in the entryway, Handsome by a woman's standard but a person who looked like they could melt into a crowd. For a long seven seconds, the two men just stared at each other, willing the other to speak first. Before he knew it, the man in the doorway opened his mouth.

"Admiral, I'm glad to see you awake." He spoke in a surprising tone of hospitality for the prison. "You have been asleep for quite some time now. Can I get you anything before I start?"

Admiral Mark Johnathan Shepard merely stared at the man blankly and his strangely thoughtful query.

"If you know what is best for you, let me out and I'll speak favorable of you for my kidnapping." He commanded raspingly, his voice slowly coming back to him. The man merely smiled strangely and shook his head ruefully.

"Admiral, I would be glad to do so, but I'm afraid I can't, not yet at least" The man denied the naval officer. "You will be released once you're willing to have a conversation with me and come around to my point of view."

The Admiral slumped back onto the bed, defeated for this moment. Quietly, he looked around and ignored the never blinking gaze of his interrogator. Speaking of which, he backed himself into the corner. A holopad in one hand. His hand fixing his hair with the other.

"Where am I?" Mark murmured, groggy as he laid flat on the bed again. The second man looked at him without any malice in his eyes. This was a profession, not a job.

"A holding cell somewhere far away from your family."

Shepard looked up.

_My family... two dead sons and a wife who barely speaks to me. _Mark closed his eyes and tried to forget his boys. Both of them were dead.

"Let me talk to my wife." He ordered, his voice strained and tired.

"That would defeat the purpose of confinement." The man returned, almost amused at the demand made by the desperate man, "Besides, the System's Alliance has declared you to be dead since the Alliance found the remains of the Serrano. How would it look if you miraculously reappear without a cover story anyone can verify? These are suspicious time, you know."

The man turned away from the admiral and wandered back outside the door, leaving it unlocked and open for the Admirals escape. Quietly Shepard stood there. It was a trap. An escape attempt without leverage would be stupid. No he would wait until the interrogator came back in and grab him.

He inched up against the wall and waited. A minute went by. He recalled the figure. He was average, he was unarmed. It did not matter. Long before He was an admiral, he was a soldier who learned how to break neck without any difficulty. He'd just have to remind the dumb bastar-

Suddenly, his legs gave out out, dropping the Admiral to the ground. He screamed and flayed on the floor as though he had been struck by lightening. Like all the muscles in his body twitched and burned. He screamed again in agony as the pain never ended. Faintly he felt a cold hand grip him by his arm and dragged him flaying right onto the bed.

"Relax, Admiral." He could faintly hear, "decrease your tension and I will promise the pain will end."

Through shaken muscles, Mark Shepard closed his eyes and took deep stuttering breaths. The pain did not go away, not at first. It was a long moment before the muscle seizures subsided and his breathing stabilized. Still breathing shakily the Admiral looked over and found himself closely looking at him nearly nose to nose.

"A new device I had wanted to test for a while, but I had no one to do it to." The man explained, strangely enthused at his own sick work. "Several subdermal implants monitor your production of Adrenalin. If it pushes past an amount I deem unnecessary, it sends a messages to other subdermal implants that sent bioelectrical shocks into your main muscle mass, temporally subduing you."

There was a sudden frown on his face, a look of slight regret.

"Perhaps I will tone it down." He spoke thoughtfully. "I only wish to stun, not hurt you. Pain is not necessary Pain is too... Sloppy."

Had this an been an Alliance interrogator, Mark would have been impressed by his innovation and professionalism. However he wasn't, so naturally he was pissed seven ways to hell.

"W-hat happens if I trick it?" He spat out defiantly. The interrogator shrugged, looking very nonchalant.

"I activate the micro plastic explosive charges inside the sensors and watch as you become permanently crippled from your futile escape attempt.." he casually stated, ignoring the look of vile disgust on the other man's expression. "It's not pleasant, I agree, but a necessary safeguard. But, assure you it's removable, once we start coming to an understanding."

"I'd rather blow myself up."

The man closed his eyes and shook his head, slowly he stood up and backed away from the steadily more coherent Admiral.

"Admiral Shepard, I implore you, do not make this harder then it could become for you." The man said, his dull but friendly tone never changed as he took a seat in the chair he brought in. "We both have a vested interest in our species survival. Like your son, you too could play a crucial role in saving not only us, but trillions of people from the Reaper threat."

Shepard narrowed his eyes at the remark. Reapers. It was all starting to come together now.

"You're with Cerberus, aren't you, you son of a bitch" Mark growled lowly at the relaxed figure, eying him over like a subject " I heard that Jack was doing some sort of work for them about these 'Reapers'."

The man did not deny the charge. instead his eyes were maintained on his lap where his holopad laid, but. There was something off about his expression, as if he was looking long past what was his interest in his lap. Slowly and without raising his head, he shook it cautiously. as though he were the devil.

"I am not allowed to disclose you what I represent." The man stated as he looked up from his holopad and took a long glance at the Admiral; "But I can assure you. John Shepard was killed on board the wreckage of The SSV Normandy."

"No..." Shepard flat out denied, shaking his head violently and sputtering H-Hannah... Hannah got intel he was alive from Hackett... How could he be actually dead and then."

"Brought back? That is hard to believe." He admitted, tilting his head at the distressed admiral. "But he was involved in an experimental Cerberus resurrection program that brought him back. While he was rescued by Cerberus, I'm afraid that your son is working with Cerberus on his own accord and not under direct orders from the Alliance nor the Citadel."

The dull pit of dread in his stomach became more and more pronounced. His son, he was no angel. But this was beyond what even he expected. No longer bound by Alliance protocol nor Citadel law. Working freely with an organization of Terrorists, racists, and immoral scientists. How could this have happened. Where did he go wrong as a father?

"Is he being controlled?" His next question was uttered. That dread spilling into a new form, guilt as he went through his mind where he went wrong, what strayed his path. how this, of all things, could happen.

Meanwhile, the interrogator merely watched the many emotions pass over the usually stoic Fleet Admiral.

"I cannot say for certain." He stated, allowing a small bit of information spill for a desperate man. "I have heard through channels that he is on amicable terms with the controller of Cerberus."

Mark nodded his head as the man confirmed his suspicions about his boy. This hadn't surprised him, not one bit. Old resentments, regrets, and hate for that man who was his son came back bubbling to the surface.

"Of course... what do you expect from a war criminal." He muttered lowly, with enough vehemence to surprise even his interrogator, who again, tilted his head, a look of mild surprise on his usually empty expression.

Admiral Shepard looked up after a long strained silence and stared at the interrogator full on. The man in the corner stared back, more interested than he had been before.

"Do you have a name?" Shepard questioned gruffly. The interrogator leaned back and smiled faintly, it was an awkward smile that not only did not only just meet his eyes, but looked utterly alien on his face.

"Are you and I going to have a conversation now?" he echoed politely.

Mark exhaled, and eventually much to his displeasure, nodded his head. A limited conversation in exchange for knowledge and an eventual freedom? It sounded as though he had no other alternatives then to accept it. The strange smile on the other man's face died down. He stood up and walked over within arms length of the Admiral.

"Then in that case, You may call me John Henry." He pleasantly stated, extending his hand out to Mark. "It's an honor to speak to you, sir."

Shepard looked at the hand and then up into the empty eyes of John Henry. Slowly, he shook it. What he did not realize was just how significant this handshake, a simple gesture of welcome, almost universal amongst the species of the known galaxy would become.

...

* * *

...

"John Connor I reckon?"

John looked up from the bodies and into the eyes, the or rather, eye of his rescuer. He was not a pleasant sight to look at . His face weathered and misshapen from years with of scars and abuse. John had seen worse, the war with the machines left many men he commanded in just as bad shape as this hired gun had. Except, they were heroes. Fighting a good fight. Not shooting people down for the sole reason of money.

"Yeah, who the hell are you." He mumbled back again as he watched the man step forward and exam the hall just outside the doorway. He thumbed his rifle, glancing over the exotic looking weapon.

"My name is Zaeed Massani; You don't get to call me neither first nor last name, boy. Clear?" Was his terse response to the question. For a second, John bared his teeth in rage for the man treating him as though he was a fucking greenhorn teenager again. This Zaeed Massani had no fucking clue as to who he was now dealing with.

"You and I share a mutual friend that has no interest in you being jailed and your Cerberus experiment getting her brains picked apart." He continued, turning around and pointing at John imperiously as he added; "Now,again, where is that wife of yours?"

John stared at the older man blankly. Cerberus experiment? Whatever this Cerberus was. If it was using humans as test subjects to make beings like Cameron. That would have been such a serious breach of scientific morality that even Doctor Mengele would have been disgusted by.

John already knew who the mutual friend was. Weaver sent this show of force as a 22nd century welcoming committee. Whatever Weaver wanted wasn't in John nor Cameron's best interests. Still, John wasn't about to look the gift horse in the mouth. even if strings were attached.

"Cameron?" He repeated mulling the question over in his head, using whatever logic the fuzz in his mind and the cancer in his body would allow him. he looked up and added "Cameron got taken by a science team. Not sure where."

Zaeed nodded curtly and glanced out into the corridor as if expecting trouble. With no threats firing on the two of them, he turned back. Both his healthy and what John imagined to be a blind eye to him into a dark glare.

"Heavy Cruiser like this have a laboratory and a medical bay." Zaeed grumbled aloud to Connor "It just so happens I know this ship classification inside out, served on a bird like this one. Which one do you think your old woman is in?"

John ignored the biting euphemism about his wife. His mind mulled over the answer. Oh, he knew which of the two her body laid dormant in. Picked apart like a simple science experiment. He needed to figure how to explain it to a stranger such as Zaeed. Perhaps a simple mind your own business would work.

"She'll be in the lab. Cameron's special..." John trailed off, earning a glance from the older man.

The merc nodded curtly and walked over to John "So I figured. Don't worry boy, I get paid to do this mission and not to ask questions. So relax on tripping over explanations."

John nodded and felt a heavy hand drop on his shoulder. Zaeed glared at him, his expression was a mixture of annoyance and curiosity. The ship rocked from underneath them, lights flickered on and off. John felt a creeping fear overload his senses, Zaeed on the other hand did not seem to be bothered one bit.

"Our benefactor told me you can fight." He growled lowly, staring tensely at John's rifle before adding "Today I don't give a shit if you can. We're grabbing your wife and leaving this place as soon as possible. Clear?"

John nodded reluctantly, wanting to knock this jackass off his feet. He ignored his rage as Zaeed returned the nod curtly and gestured for him to follow. There was no time for new grudges, he had a wife to save.

...

* * *

...

"I'm not wearing your goddamn clothing, so screw off, you silly little ginger bitch!"

Garrus Valkarian rolled his eyes at the outburst from off made by Subject Zero and turned back his attention to the Commander who was thumbing through the design specs he had provided for the Thanix Cannon he had gotten a hold.

Shepard looked... different, beyond just a new formal dresswear for the gathering occurring on sunny Noveria, no, his expression seemed far more lighter. It was a change from the near turian command style Shepard had on board the SR1. At one point, he had found himself in a similar situation as the new XO, Lawson had been in. One wrong misstep round his past and the next thing he knew he was on his back gasping to breath under a surprisingly powerful human.

On that day, Garrus Valkarian learned not to ever bring up Torfan as some sort of badge of pride, worthy of lamenting. Even worse was having both the late Williams and that big son of bitch, Wrex laughing at him for his foolish misstep.

"These specs look good, Mister Valkarian," Shepard spoke up finally, setting the spec designs down. "If I can ascertain the resources from our benefactor, when can I see this cannon installed?"

"A week or two, tops." Garrus lazily returned, leaning against the railing of his station, he cocked his head, adding. "And why not just Garrus? I figured after everything we went through, we'd be on first name basis."

Shepard gave him one look and started to laugh, Garrus blinked. Shepard was laughing.

"We are, but we're on duty, So it's Commander Shepard to you and Mister Valkarian for me." Shepard clarified for the turian with a mild boyish smile on his face; "will we have to give up our javelin disruptor torpedoes?" He questioned curiously. "The next time we face that damn ship, I want to see it split in half with everything we have."

Garrus stared at the Commander for his alien lightheartedness.

"Shepard.. You seem different, is everything alright?" Garrus had to ask his CO.

This time it was Shepard's turn to stare now.

"I'm Fine, just had a streak of good luck lately." John said as they wandered slowly back towards the mess hall, Garrus next to him. "For the first time in Seven long years, a burden is lifted and everything is looking brighter." He shrugged adding, "You and I are going to celebrate it too, alright?"

Garrus dropped his talons onto Shepard's shoulders and turned him around to face the Turian.

"What will we be celebrating?" He asked the Commander pointedly.

Shepard glanced back and chuckled lowly.

"The death of old man admiral Shepard." John stated casually. With that said he turned from the stunned turian and step his pace down to the Mess hall. For a fraction of second Garrus stood there until his sense came back to him. He wandered back to Shepard's side.

"Humans celebrate their parental figures death rather than mourn?" The turian queried. Shepard barked a laugh at the question asked and shrugged as a reply.

"My old man.. he was of Irish blood, but we're not having an Irish wake." Shepard explained, not giving Garrus the definition of an Irish wake, or even Irish, thus confusing the turian even more. The turian checked it as a question for later.

"Nah This is a real celebration." The ex Spectre pressed on as he paused at the entrance to the messhall; "A chapter of my life is over, The prosecutor is dead, the defendant survives, justice at last."

Shepard trailed off as he gazed out thoughtfully at the messhall at large. Several of of his ground crew were sitting there. Jacob Taylor was watching the scene unfold alongside Gardener, Patel and Hadley were watching as Jack cussed out poor Yeoman Kelly Chambers over the stack of clothing in her hands. Her reaction was completely over the top but not at all unexpected. Even over the matter of clothing, Jack was not going to listen to a Cerberus agent. No matter how nice she was.

"Jack, please, I know you like your get up... I like it as well." Kelly tried to explain to the steadily erratic biotic. "But, you're going ground side for a dinner... It's not a dress or anything. Its a jacket and pants."

With a swipe of her hand, ow illuminated in a bright blue light, a chair flew off, Causing Taylor to duck under the table and cracking the apathetic Tank bred Krogan in his head. He head flew forward, smacking his face against his plate of Verran meat. Jack didn't give a damn, she stalked towards the Yeoman causing Garrus to nervously glance at the Commander.

Shepard merely stood their, a mild smirk on his face as he observed the situation.

"_I Don't need fashion tips from some contradicting, Ginger Xeno slut." _Jack growled menacingly as she backed Chambers against the wall. "Fuck Off Or I'll break your goddamn hea-"

Jack cried out in shock, Her arm, glowing in biotic rage was teared behind her back behind her shoulder blade. Her face was covered by a scalely hand that lifted her a foot off the ground. Her feet were dangling as a spewing of muffled profanity roared from her. It did fazed the powerfully built Krogan one bit as he held her in place.

There was a sharp vivacious laugh that came from behind Gardener's station. Shepard turned his head to find Operative Lawson laughing as though the humiliation of Jack was the funniest thing she had seen in her life. Grunt glanced at the laughter. Her reaction only egged the young Krogan on even more.

Jacks screaming became more and violently as she thrashed herself back and forth, vainly attempting to free herself. Shepard snorted and stepped up past Garrus and Slapped his hand on the Krogan's back to catch his attention.

"Good work, Grunt, drop her now." He ordered.

Grunt hesitated for but a brief moment before he nodded and dropped the human onto her floor and, much to Miranda's cackling delight, straight on her ass. To make matters worse, Grunt stamped his foot onto her hand and held it there. Causing her to scream out in agony.

"That little creature is loud and unpredictable, I want it dead." Grunt observed, ignoring Jack as his blue eyes stared into Shepard's. "Tell her to shut up and put some clothing on, or else I'll tear her limb from limb and eat what ever is left."

The comment only made Miranda smirk even wider then she had. If looks could kill, then The glare that Jack was shooting across to the sardonic Cerberus agent could have caused a genocide.

Sheprd kicked the Krogan boot off of Jacks hand and offered her his to get her back up standing.

"Jack, Miss Chambers isn't patronizing you." Shepard tersely stated as the hand he offered was slapped away. "She's offering you something to wear. Isn't that right Kelly?"

Shepard looked up to Kelly who shuffled in place nervously, her cheeks pink as she bowed her head away.

"Well... this is for her to own." She explained slowly, as though walking on eggshells. "I checked her dossier provided by Cerberus. It's her 21st birthday today... So I figured give her a present I knew that she'd like."

Before Shepard could turn to face Jack to question why he had not known it was a special day for her. Jack pushed past him and paused at Kelly. Her head still bowed away from the criminal. Jack glared hard at the clothing in her hand. a reminder of another pointless day of celebration. To her, birthdays weren't worth dick.

She bit her lip and stared at the present for another moment before snatching them from the Yeoman's hands and tearing back down to the Elevator. As the criminal left, Kelly breathed sigh of relief and looked back up. Shepard smiled at her slightly and gripped her forearm.

"Are you okay?" He asked her softly. Chambers looked down at the connection between the two of them and looked back up. Slowly, she nodded and attempted a smile.

"That was pretty thoughtful of you, Kelly. Dangerous, but thoughtful" John whispered to the Yeoman. Kelly shrugged, her eyes misted, her lip quivering as she tried to retain control of her flowing of emotions.

"Well, Birthdays are important." She attempted to explain. "Even for test subjects..."

Shepard nodded gravely. He had read the dossier on what had happened to such a small child. Kelly pushed out her lips, her hands furiously wiping her eyes and glanced back up to the Commander and over to Garrus, whose head was bowed in thoughtful silence.

"What happened to Jack has been keeping me up at night." Kelly admitted to him distantly, "Everything they subjected her to. It makes me wonder what is going on inside his mind. Yes, we must compete, but at the cost of our children?"

Shepard shook his head at the question.

"It's never worth our children, Kelly." Shepard returned, his hands grip tightening and letting go of her. "What he did was clearly wrong. It's okay to hate him as much as you respect him. I think he knows he's not going to win any popularity contest."

Kelly chocked out a laugh at the expense of the Illusive Man and nodded, smiling slightly. Quietly, Chambers leaned in and pecked her CO on the cheek.

"I can see what she sees in you." She whispered as she pulled away, leaving her CO slightly bemused . Kelly backed away and waved lightly at Shepard. Most likely back to her quarters.

Shepard sighed and Gestured to a smirking Garrus to follow him to the elevator. As the turian and human wandered Shepard cocked his head back to Miranda.

"I don't see why you're laughing Miss Lawson." John called over his shoulder as he and Garrus stepped into the elevator. "I fully expect you to be wearing a dress for this affair!"

As the Elevator doors closed behind Garrus and Shepard the sound of Jacob's laughter ripped all through out deck 3.

...

* * *

...

"Sir, our back channels have confirmed that the council is willing to meet with you, connection will be at your discretion."

The Illusive Man nodded curtly, his back turned to the door and the operative as he attempted to fix the collar of his jacket. He was in charge of a multi billion credit organization and had an intelligence gathering operation second only to the Shadow Broker, yet he still had trouble with these damn things.

"Thank you, Preston," He muttered as he privately fought with the Windsor knot that was bothering him. "Go and see what has the information center in a scramble. I want a summary as soon as the meeting has concluded."

As his aide, Preston departed from the room, he exhaled, running his hand through his hair. What he would give to be thirty years younger. Back on dig sites, exploring the galaxies secrets like the old days. Before the Collectors were his focus, before even the turians made their presence known in a bloody first contact. Just him and a small group of men and women under his command, investigating the secrets of the Protheans.

No, it was best not to relish in his past. Humanity needed him right where he was now. Who was he to deny his species that?

As he finished his drink he looked back up, finding himself being watchfully gazed at by Solia Trellani. She smiled slightly for her lover. He returned a half smile in return. His friends and enemies would be having a field day had they learned of this new addition to his tastes.

"Operative," The Illusive Man returned to his aside as he set his glass down and took a step forward to the asari slowly, "inform them I'll be meeting them shortly."

Again Preston nodded and left his presence, not daring to question why his leader had an asari hidden away with him.

Solia met the man halfway, her smile was that of Cheshire cat. Slowly, the matriarch slinked her arms around his waist, pressing her body against him firmly. The Illusive Man smirked slightly at the matriarch. He still found the situation amusing. Despite his reputation, she seeked him out...

Trellani was by no means fit the standard asari model. She was higher standard of asari, one that did not sell her body at young age, whored herself across the galaxy for half a millennium No. She was much like him in a way. A forward thinker and a firm believer in the advancement of her species, It was little wonder why she was so attracted to him in the first place. Despite the age, in her contained the wonder of a maiden, the loyalty of a matron and the wisdom of a matriarch.

So it was little wonder of how huge of a following she had on the homeworld of Thressa. An influential woman, So much so that her mentoring had helped a young politician named Xioa Tevos ascend to councilor by her four hundred and third year, making her one of the youngest asari councilors to date. Not that her age helped bring her clarity of the Reaper threat.

"I'm certain you will manage to impress the council with your uncanny ability to tell the truth, no matter how grim it may be." Trellani assured the human gently, her voice thoughtful. Her long index finger grazing his Adams apple as he pulled on his suit jacket.

The enigmatic man gave an uncharacteristic grunt as a response to her words.

"It's not often I talk to brick walls, Matriarch. This will not be pleasant." He murmered mildly. The remark earned him a faint smile from the usually stoic asari matriarch.

"You know you have to, Sometimes, ignorant misbehaving children need to be hand fed the truth." Trellani comforted the man as she buttoned up his jacket for him. "They may not like it, but better a stern lecture to save all of us then a friendly cooing that'll insure all of our deaths."

He looked up and and smiled to her tersely in agreement. She knew when to be blunt; He liked that quality in her.

"Astute as always I see." He returned, setting his glass down behind him on his chairs arm and gently as possible, he grazed her cheek he watched her close his eyes and tenderly gripped the hand. She leaned in, pressing her lips to his.

He pulled away, his hands gripping the shimmering black robes she was wearing. Trellani smiled him and took a step back, breaking away from the human.

"I wish you good luck." She formally stated to him. The Illusive Man man pulled out his cigarette case. He lit up one of them up and glanced back up to the Matriarch.

"I have no need for luck, Solia." He stated plainly. Solia arched an eyebrow and stared at him pointedly. He certainly was not a man without confidence that was for sure. She shook her head smiled faintly in amusement, she backed away from the him and back to his lounge room.

With a respectful nod of the head, he turned away and walked purposely over towards his quantum entanglement device. Out of the corner of the cybernetically implanted eyes, he noticed the Matriarch shake her head in amusement and wandered off, undoubtedly back to her private room. He turned his attention back and stepped next to the chair.

He activated the Commlink and watched faintly as the energy field overwhelm his field of view and found his image now thousands of light years away.

The founder of Cerberus looked around. He been here once before. Two years ago, it was under much more dire circumstances. This time however, it was bright, clean, artificial. Inwardly, he sneered at it. He continued to glance around the bright room until he heard the door hiss open and watched silently as the Council filed into the room.

He smiled at them nonchalantly as they all stood in front of in, looking at him like he was impressed. He wasn't.

"Councilor Anderson. I trust that you're well." The Illusive Man spoke first, greeting the representatives of the galaxies most powerful species, he turned his full attention to the non humans and gave them a darkly ironic nod of his head for them.

"Councilors Tevos, Avot and Velarn," He greeted politely, "I'm surprised to see such powerful individuals as you all, to be willing to having a rational conversation with myself."

The tone was thinly veiled as compliment. The three representatives saw right through it. Tevos and Avot however seemed to maintain a cool collected expression, even if they were looking into the very face of everything they stood against. Velarn, on the other hand, looked like he wanted other better then to choke the life out of the human.

"_Who do you think you are._" The Turian demanded to know. He looked utterly insulted by the presence of the an avowed enemy of the council. The human shrugged softly, sipping his drink.

"I am, but a humble servant to humanity and a fellow citizen of this galaxy" The Illusive Man returned without acknowledging the rage in Velarn's voice. "You hostility is not needed." He pressed on, "I'm not here to start trouble, but rather to have a rational conversation between mutual... enemies."

"I confess that I'm curious as to why an avowed enemy to the council would take the time to contact us." Councilor Avot spoke, taking a step closer to the projected image of the Illusive Man. "Would you care to explain yourself?"

As politely as he could, the cybernetic man nodded his head at the Salarian.

"A young mutual acquaintances of ours asked me if I ever even tried diplomacy shortly after the colony disappearance on Freedom's Progress." The Illusive Man returned surprising them with a tone of respect in his voice. The four councilors glanced at each other, they all knew exactly who it was.

"I take that the Commander isn't very agreeable." Anderson spoke up. As disappointed as he was that Shepard was working for Cerberus. He was happy to see that he was not buying everything the organization stood for.

"You're indeed correct Councilor Anderson." The Illusive Man nodded his head cordially, "Under his advisement, I have come to you all to see if I can talk sense into all of you before Shepard attempts to feed you with undeniable evidence of not only the Collector involvement in the disappearances of dozens of Terminus system human colonies, but connection to the Reapers as well."

"The Commander is an interesting man, don't you think?" The Illusive Man continued for them, mildly. "A realist but driven by a sense of idealism. I believe that he feels that this council will not deny the evidence he'll attempt to bring to you unlike his previous attempts."

The Illusive Man took a drag from his cigarette. Slowly, with a deadly undertone to a casual voice, he added.

"But... we both know the reaction he'll get from you all." He dared to say, his voice delicately breathing every word. "You all will not be satisfied until the Reapers are burning _our homeworlds_."

With that utter, The turian had enough.

"How dare you pass judgment on us!" Velarn roared at an unflinching human, his arm outstretched and pointing at him accusingly, "You who'd commit murder against your own people. Who'd openingly express hostility against the other races in the galaxy, Who'd assaulted less powerful races as a intimidation tactic-"

The Illusive Man rose his hand and glared at the turian.

"That's fresh coming from the same group of people who commit regular and passive genocide against species that were growing beyond your control." He retorted cruelly. "I can't help but notice you brought up an incursion my organization may have had with the quarians.

"Tell me, Trellus," The man uttered the Turian's first name, "which species lobbied against their return of the home world the hardest? Your have no right to being sanctimonious over the Quarian question. They took in my investment. I wanted it back. End of story."

Velarn glared at the human mutinously, he had brought up a good point, The turians had been the centerfront on punitive punishment for the quarians for the creation and outbreak of the geth.

Anderson snorted a flash of a smile crossed his face as the defiant human destroyed the turian bravado with ease. He might have been a terrorist in Anderson's eyes, but he was a welcomed deflater of Velarns egoism. With a brief nod to the human representative, he leaned over and grazed the control panel on his chair.

"_Inform your employer of the file I have forwarded you." _A familiar voice called out as the image to the holorecording sputtered to life.

Tevos' mouth gaped open, Anderson's eyes went wide. There i the recording was none other then Ambassador Udina. He was a younger man, his hair not a thin nor grayed. His arms were crossed impatiently as he glared up at the camera he was in front of.

"_How do I know that this isn't a sting operation, that you'll track this file." A disembodied voice returned curiously, It's voice was altered, standard Operating procedures for message relayers working for Cerberus. _

"_The only way that this council will be able to do anything useful is to have the government reformed and replaced with a human in a central position with the others answering to him or her." Udina explained as he paced back and forth, his eyes downcasted at the floor he treaded. "The other species have surely gone stagnant. They allow our colonies to burn and be oppressed by the baterians, They continuously stand aside as even their own people get sent into slavery. What kind of organization condones this?"_

_There was long pause before the disembodied digitally altered voiced reply to him._

"_An organization that has a lot on their plates." The voice returned carefully as though not wanting to offend the Ambassador. "I agree something must be done about a reforming of the council, but what you're asking for... it's..." _

_Udina laughed shortly and shook his head in faint humor. _

"_I'm not suggesting I will do it tomorrow." The ambassador returned, still slightly smiling. "We have achieved much in twenty years, in another twenty we will be more powerful then them all."_

"_Our species need a leading position to give the council races a new age of expansion." Udina's voice continued before the voice spoke again. "When the opportunity strikes, can I count on Cerberus standing at my side? We will need all the financial support for this operation. In return I can promise your boss a say when the power balance tips."_

_There was a long pause again before the anonymous operative spoke._

_"I will relay the message to my benefactor. I would not expect a reply any time soon." The voice spoke up finally, there was a strained biting edge to his words as he added. "This is a very slippery offer you're making now, To me, at looks like a pathetic power grab, simple as that." _

_Udina glared at the image hard but was silenced as the man continued. _

"_My employer tends to think things through before commitment to anything is made, This is especially true considering the plan you've giving me to relay. For now, go back to your work. I will be in touch if anything arises."_

_Udina nodded, looking satisfied with the commitment he received. He turned way from the camera feed. _

The image flickered off. leaving the council and The Illusive Man stare at each other. On one side the council was staring at the accused terrorist leader with wide, shaken eyes. The veil was yanked off. Finding out that a man they had come to respect, to trust, was working against them all was shocking.

The Illusive Man on the other hand merely stared back impassively. Deep in him was satisfaction. For too long he had been sitting back and allowing the council to blunder across the galaxy. Too long had he been covertly protecting them from external threats and even from themselves.

"How was this even possible." Velarn spoke up finally, his voice unusually subdued as his tried to work his mind around the treason he had just witnessed. "Udina is a schemer, but this is beyond him. How do we know this has not been doctored?"

The Illusive Man rose an eyebrow at the turian. Without words he took a seat in his chair and crossed his legs.

"I would not wish to insult your intelligence." He said simply as he set his drink down and took a drag of his cigarette. "I will send you the original files. You can verify it should you wish."

Velarn nodded, he seemed pacified at the offer made by the avowed enemy of the council. The head of Cerberus turned his look over to Tevos and Anderson, they had wandered off from the other councilors and appeared to be trying to speak to themselves quietly, away from the Illusive Man. unknowing to them was just how augmented the founder of Cerberus was.

"Councilor... David." She whispered to the human with an undertone of worry trembling in her voice. "Do you believe that the Alliance could be involved in this?"

Before Anderson could speak up. The Illusive Man spoke up, catching the two chatting councilors attention.

"This plan was handed to me when Cerberus was being covertly funded by the Alliance, Councilor. There was no evidence of their official and unofficial support." He explained to all of them. "I had a team spend six years looking for a conspiracy. I believe we were to be the first stepping stone in a coup."

"And Earth?" Avot inquired curiously, for the first tie speaking since the recording was played. "They have express a rather.. negative view of this council." He said delicately. "They also operate a continuously growing naval presence in their inner colonies."

Illusive Man nodded his head in recognition.

"Earth has no love for the council." The man admitted to the salarian "They, however, have no desire to see your esteemed organization toppled for a representative of the Alliance. The relationship between Earth and the Alliance has been lukewarm for the past decade."

Anderson nodded in agreement with the Terrorists assessment.

"Earth has been in talks of sending its own representatives and have begun building an external military presence separate of the Alliance." Anderson replied, his voice worried as he thought of the situation at hand. "The Alliance has not been focused on its obligations to the homeworld as they had promised to be. Earth is not going to stand for the underrepresentation for much longer."

The councilors glanced around at each other. Earth, while being human and therefore a member of the citadel races. was a fragile issue. They provided the Alliance with bases and a parliament on earth. They funded seventy percent of the public exploration missions. They also still had a population of nine billion still living on earth representing the bulk of the population of humanity.

The stories about the cradle of humanity was not a pleasant tale . A nuclear war that put the Krogan's to shame and then a sudden self uplifting by Corporations had brought Humanity back from the verges of stagnant extinction to an aggressively dominating species that even had to outlawed its own religions to keep the peace on that world. A concept foreign to all three of the major powers.

To hear how fast humanity worked itself back to the top made the council worried even more then they had before when they had witnessed what the Alliance, proponents of peaceful coexistence, did to the turians, to slavers, pirates, batarians and the geth. The thought of what Earth would and could do was unthinkable.

The Systems Alliance represented the colony worlds as models of humanity to the galaxy at large. Aggressive but a warm inviting people. It was the image that the System's Alliance wanted to perpetrate. It was an image that the others species got. Rarely did they know that Humanity on Earth was not nearly as pleasant. Most did not bother to travel beyond their home on Earth. What was the point? They had everything they wanted there and they did not have to deal with all the Aliens and their bureaucracy to get it.

That wasn't to say no one from Earth ever traveled. Many did and that was what led to some of the more negative aspects humanity got. Aggression bordering on Xenophobia, even to their own people on the colony worlds. With Religion and political dissenter exiled from Earth 'voluntarily' The common relationship of the people of Earth and her colonies were understandably tense.

"I'll allow you to recollect yourselves if you wish. But, I have follow up if you wish to examine it." The Illusive Man continue, breaking his own thoughts and turning back to the council.

The four of them glanced at each other before finally Councilor Tevos nodded. The man leaned over and tapped a button on his chair. Again an image flickered on.

The video quality was perfect. It was Udina, his clothes were rumpled and his face coated in his own dried blood, courtesy of Anderson. He was standing in the same offices as the council stood now. He was passing back and forth, the noise i the back ground, the flashes of fires burning the citadel. The council knew exactly when this was recorded.

"_I was left behind on the Citadel!" Udina frantically babbled clutching his bloody nose. "The council is on board the Destiny Ascension. The geth have the Dreadnought under heavy fire. I don't believe it will last much long. The council is on the verge of destruction!"  
_

"_Your plan has been rejected several times." A woman said, standing next to an empty chair. Raising an eyebrow at the cowering man. "even now do you think he'll go ahead with it?" _

_Ambassador Udina begun sputtering out a series of nonsensical ramblings the moment she had stopped speaking. Clearly the Cerberus woman standing in the Quantum entanglement device was not impressed by his behavior. She looked up and away over her shoulder. She nodded and turned back._

_"Shut up." She snapped at him coldly. "The Illusive Man is here now, Treat him with the respect he deserves and do not waste his time."_

The council glanced at each other wearily, Anderson's fists were clenched tightly as he stared back up at the screen. The Illusive Man smirked and turned away as he poured himself another drink. This surprising revelation of betrayal was going better then he had ever planned.

He leaned back as he looked a the image of his lieutenant, Miranda Lawson. He had to admit, she was rather fetching in a coldly logical way. Watching her belittle the ambassador was rather amusing.

"_Thank you, Miss Lawson. Donnel Udina, a pleasure I'm sure." The voice and image of the Illusive Man greeted as though they were speaking under pleasant circumstances. The leader of Cerberus stood next to Lawson, who held her grounds. Her hands were placed behind her back as she stared down the Ambassador. _

_Udina held up his hand in annoyance. Miranda narrowed her eyes at the gesture. _

"_Skip it." Udina snapped out at the holographic image. "I need an answer right now. Will you stand up to help protect our future, our way of life. With your resources and myself in control of a interim Citadel council, Now is our best time time to secure our standing!"_

_The Illusive Man then did something that surprised Miranda. He cocked his head, almost as though he was confused. In his hand was a cherry tipped cigarette, dangling as his dangerous looking Cybernetic eyes stared at him. Miranda on the other hand, contorted her expression in one of disgust and utter rage._

"_You disrespectful little scumbag." She sneered, her hands curling into fists as she stepped forward aggressively "I told you to mind your manners, you pompously stupid Cun-."_

"_Illusive Man, put your bitch back on her chain." Udina addressed the head of Cerberus cutting through the insult Miranda begun to utter; "At least your predecessor was respectful of who I am."_

"_I got this position after I killed my predecessor." She hissed in return, relishing in the flinch from the bloodied ambassador. "I will gladly do the same to you as well. Human or not, I'd snap your neck without any hesitation."_

"_Miss Lawson."_

_Miranda ceased her insulting offensive and looked back to her employer. His hand was raised leisurely, his hypnotic eyes still focused on Udina scrutinizingly._

"_While I admire your apparent dedication to our species and the sheer ambition you possess. Your plan is that of a lunatic living in his own imagination. Do you really believe that it will work?" The Illusive Man queried at long last, Realizing he had it, he rose his hand took a drag from his cigarette._

_Udina glared at the figures hading in front of. He was looking close to losing his patience with the man, but he bit back a sharp response to the secretive man.  
_

"_The fleet has been smashed, the Destiny Ascension is nearly overwhelmed." Udina repeated much more frantically. The only reaction his words garnered was the illusive Man stamping out his cigarette mildly and raised an eyebrow at the human ambassador._

"_I'm afraid that won't be for long, Mister Udina. Reinforcements are on the way, the entire Arcturus fleet is coming through the Mass Relays as we speak." He corrected the ambassador with mild amusement, purposely ignoring his title. "Do you think that they will sacrifice the vessel that contained the pillars of the intergalactic government?"_

"_Bu-"_

_The image rose his hands, mimicking Udina mockingly.  
_

"_You seemed to have misunderstood Cerberus' intentions, Ambassador." The Illusive Man continued as he took a seat. "I will admit we have vast resources, but do NOT delude yourself that we have amassed can subjugate an entire known galaxy."_

"_Even if the support of the Alliance and Earth was behind us." He pressed on, looking at the desperate Donnel mildly. "We have the smallest economy amongst the top tier species, Our military, while powerful, will quickly get stretched to the limits if we were engaging in this power struggle against three unified powers and a handful of smaller citadel races." _

_The enigmatic man shook his head and leaned back into his seat. Faintly, he gestured to Miranda Lawson, who stepped forward again, she made an attempt to remain civil. _

"_Cerberus' intentions is based round the continual advancement of our people in order to keep pace with the non humans." She stated, her words hard as she glared at the older man. "We have no goals to dominate, only to compete and one day, surpass."_

_The Illusive Man chuckled at the words echoed by his top operative. He crossed his fingers, looking impressively to the Human on the citadel._

"_As much as I tout the strength of our species, I'm a realist, Donnel." The man spoke up as Miranda took a step back. "I know that this sort of irresponsible behavior will only lead to the destruction of our species, Something I have been actively work against since the First Contact War."  
_

_The two men stared at each other; Neither of them becking down from the staring. An explosion rocketed behind him, causing Udina to flinch and turn away from The Illusive Man. Slowly, the Man slumped down and into a couch. He stared off momentarily until he looked up and back at the impassive Illusive Man._

"_So, you leave me to die." Udina spat, eyes filled with unbridled hatred "After all the intelligence I shared with your organization over the years."_

_The Illusive Man looked up and nodded to Miranda. With curt bow of her head, She turned away left the connection. The man followed her departure and then turned back. Lighting up a new cigarette. _

_"If you look out your window, you'll see the magnificent sight of a Reaper hanging off the Citadel tower." He spoke up softly."You'll understand why I'm not going to take that massive risk of my resources and Humanity's future, over your petty desire for a simple power grab."_

_Slowly smoke escaped his mouth, like a dragon staring down its prey._

"_Besides, If you survive this. Consider my parting gift to be this: I won't be inclined to release this recorded session to the Council." He reminded the other human. "I understand treason is frowned upon by your leaders. Undoubtedly they will send someone familiar after you." _

_A dark rumbling chuckle escaped the Illusive Man's lips. Slowly, he leaned forward towards the gobsmacked Ambassador. A crooked grin spread across his lips._

"_And considering everything you did to him, your backstabbing and powerplays I wouldn't be surprised if our esteemed First human Spectre would show you first hand what he does to traitors." He concluded. His hand pressed the button. cutting the feed off._

The room was silent. The council was in shock. The Illusive Man was idly staring off. He chose to give the four a moment to speak amongst themselves, to figure out what they would do with all of this new information. Return back to scheming, like any good glorified politician would.

He rubbed the goud out of his eyes, his cigarette butt abandoned in the ashtray as he sat quietly. At least he did until the turian spoke up.

"What do you want." Velarn grumbled as the council stepped back together. All four of them were clearly shaken from the traitor so deep in their ranks. David was fuming. Shaking with unbridled rage at the video he had just watched. Hidden behind a glass of brandy, the Illusive Man reveled in his surprising victory.

"Free access for Shepard to traverse through council space, Immunity on Council controlled worlds and the Citadel, a full reinstatement into the Spectres and your undivided attention when he comes to speak to you all." He listed out, allowing a sympathetic smile for the shake council.

The group glanced at each other briefly before the Salarian, Councilor Avot turned back to him.

"We can promise immunity and safe travel into our sphere of influence for the Commander." He announced to the Cerberus leader. "We'll have to consider the last two options."

The turian cringed at the deal with the devil being made. To see him so upset was great treat for the Human sitting idly in his seat.

"Before I leave, I'd like you all to mull over this:" He spoke up, getting their undivided attention in one second flat. "I happen to be in control of the second greatest information networks seconded only to the Shadow Broker. Double back on your promise today and I will not hesitate to show you what kind of dirt I have dug up on all of you."

Before a reply was giving, The Illusive Man cut the feed, thanking the creators this fiasco was over with. Faintly, he heard feet step back into the doorway. Good, a punctual aide, how refreshing.

"Report." The Illusive Man called out crossing his fingers and inhaled sharply.

"A day ago, Aite went silent. Two hours ago," The Voice of his aide called from behind him "There was a massive broadcasting of data was fired out on every channel in every direction. We managed to block it and Archer is trying to block it off at the source."

Archer... The man rubbed the bridge of his nose. He should have known something like would have happened when he signed the cheque to fund this man's ambitious but irresponsible dream project. Control of the geth network. It was too interesting a proposal for the Illusive Man to give up. If he ever had a weakness, curiosity was it.

"What course has been taken?" He questioned as he stood up to face Operative Preston. The Operative glanced at the holopad briefly.

"The clean up units are 18 hours away." He recited to the head of Cerberus tersely. "We can suppress the signal another week before the Overlord entity overwhelms the firewalls in place."

He fell silent as he watched The Illusive Man play idly with a unlit cigarette in his hand. Slowly, the man walked away in quiet thoughtful contemplation over his next move.

"Cancel the clean up order." He murmered casually, the cigarette in hand was tucked back into his case. Preston stepped forward, his eyes wide at the erratic cancellation of Standard operating procedures when a Rough Artificial intelligence unit was unleashed.

"Sir," The operative protested. "This situation needs a careful eye and Doctor Archer is to vital an inves -"

Illusive Man turned around on his heel and walked back towards Preston, annoyance was flashed in his expression.

"Doctor Archer is a genius but he lacked any ethics or sense, he has stopped being an asset a long time ago. Do not lie to me to save a useless fool." He snapped, narrowing his eyes at Preston's impertinence. Preston bowed his head in shame and nodded curtly. The hard, cybernetic glare loosened a full moment later

"Cancel the evacuation and clean up order and inform the Protectorate to orbit Aite and wait for my word." The Illusive Man ordered curtly as he shooed the younger man off. Preston nodded again and fled the room at double timed pace.

He sighed, silently rubbing his hand through his hair. Quietly he retrieved the cigarette back out of the case and lit it up. This Collector business was making a bad habit worse.

"I forgot how humans loved to turn Garden Worlds into nuclear nightmares."

Illusive Man curled his lips up into a mild smirk as he heard the cold feminine tone Solia Trellani possessed. He pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and exhaled as he turned to face her. She was striding over towards his, her postured graceful and with a purpose.

"Did you conveniently forget that my species fired more thermonuclear weapons at ourselves than ten Krogan nuclear wars?" He queried, egging her onto a surely disgusted rant. He however, got no reaction. Instead he found a blue hand boldly grabbed his and led him along back towards the holographic dying star.

Solia said nothing, instead she extended her hand. The Illusive Man smirked at her and opened his cigarette case. He removed one and outstretched it to her. As her lips wrapped around the cigarette she leaned back down slightly, allowing the Illusive Man to light it for her, Slowly, smoke billowed out of her mouth, the cancerous smoke engulfed the human as she stood up and wandered off.

"No, I'm rather shocked and disappointed that you chose such an obtuse option for a most beneficial scenario." She announced casually as she paused to examine the star, her favorite piece in his offices.

The Illusive Man raised an eyebrow at the remark.

"Solia, I have grown rather tired of dancing around the issues." He politely informed her, "Please, enlighten me."

Slowly, Trellani turned to face him, her cigarette in her hand as smoke escaped her lips yet again. The mechanisms of a mind well versed in forward thinking, even for an asari. Quietly, she led the human back to his chair and sat him down.

"You have spoken of a growing gap between you and the Commander, After the incident on board the Collector vessel." She mused, pacing. "You two have become strained allies. A strained relationship is an unhealthy one."

She stopped moving and looked at the man straight on, his eyes having never left her.

"You must. throw him a bone." she said, the taste of a human idiom, unpleasant on her Cerberus founder stared at her hard as if she was out of her mind.

"You believe I should hand this mess over to Shepard?" The Illusive Man questioned disbelievingly. Solia Trellani nodded.

"Exactly." Solia confirmed positively, "You must place yourself into his position to understand his rationale. He's been ushered around by you; risking his crews and his friends lives at your whim. For reasons mostly kept from him. Offering him this assignment will pacify the relationship between the two of you. He will get a chance to see the inner workings of current Cerberus operations and you will have made a valuable investment in trust."

"Something you might need in the near future." She finished, her hand grazing his cheek.

The Illusive Man took it and held it firm. He was lost in deep thought until finally, he looked back up to her and stood, again, towering over her.

"I will consider it." He finally allowed, "In the meantime, I need you to get back to Thessia."

The asari raised an eyebrow at the mention of her homeworld.

"You must organize a gathering of the Prime Matriarchs. Take whatever evidence you need and inform them of the Collectors existence and assaults on Human worlds." He requested, his hands holding her at arms length. "Fear is a universal force for good and evil. Use it to put pressure on your dear Tevos. Remove her if possible."

"The ones you trust," He concluded solemnly, "Inform them of the Reaper threat."

Trellani nodded once and slowly, she leaned in, pressing her lips against his briefly before pulling back.

"I will do what I can, we all must do our part." She agreed with him warmly, "I will see you as soon as I can."

The man gave the Matriarch appreciative bow of his his head. To his surprise Solia pulled his head up and gently pressed her lips to his. With one last smile for him, Solia Trellani stepped back and strode back to the exit and off to the docking bay where her vessel was held. She now had a clear goal in mind. Being the bearing of bad news.

"Thank you Matriarch, and good luck." She heard the man call as she reached the doorway. She smirked to herself and turned back to face The Illusive Man as he sat back down his chair.

"Like you, I do not need luck." She returned, her tone serious, her intention anything but. For the first time in many years; The Illusive Man grinned.

_..._

* * *

_..._

The Vessel around them lurched, cause John to stumble and slam into the wall as the Mercenary and the now former general approached the Science lab. He may have stumbled and hit the wall, but Zaeed didn't. It was as though this was all normal for him. Shooting anything that crossed their paths and still maintaining a balance s the ship they stood in rocked like an earthquake.

He leaned over, catching his breath, he looked up and saw Massani, his head gestured to the door. John shook his head sharply. Zaeed sneered and swung himself back towards the side of the Door John was standing by. The door automatically opened and a barrage of small arms fired, impacting against the adjutant wall.

Zaeed didn't give a shit, he grabbed Connor's armor and brought him close to his disfigured face,

"What the hell is your problem, boy." He growled, expelling what looked like an ammunition clip. from his rifle.

"Shoot from out here, I need to drag her alone. understood?" John ordered the man Pushing the old bitter bastard off him.

"The fucking hell I do." The Merc growled out at him. "Listen, I'm paid to drag both your sorry asses back into the hands of Weaver. My. Fucking. Way."

Before Zaeed knew it, Connor had pinned by his neck again against the wall. His eyes were narrowed and fierce as he stared the defiant Merc down.

"Do you want to die in an accident?" John argued back, ignoring the faint feeling of sickness that was overwhelming him. "Cameron got forced in to her state. I can bring her back but I have to be alone, I'm the only one she's trusts."

Massani glared, curling her lip, not at all convinced. John exhaled and backed away from him.

"Massani, give me five minutes." He demanded, restraining the desire to curse the man out. "I'll have it all sorted out and we'll be on our way."

With a final hard look, Zaeed nodded curtly and pushed himself back to the door. It opened up and before John knew it, Zaeed had unloaded his massive assault rifle on the group. The sounds of screaming and impacts against metal, flesh and bone making John close his eyes.

As the resistance died down, Massani pulled away from the door and slammed his back against the wall.

"Five minutes, boy, GET MOVING." He all but roared at him. With a grudging glare, Connor nodded and ran in the room, swinging his rifle back and forth for any resistance. He found none Massani had cleared the room with his massive heavy machine gun. there were no survivors. Half a dozen lightly armed, unarmored men and women stood no chance compared to the amount of fired thrown at them.

He ignored the pools of blood and bits as well the bodies he stepped over. He slammed his body against the operating table. Gently, he pulled the sheet off the figure. It was her, it was Cameron!

He let out a whooping laugh of delight as he drooped his assault rifle into one hand as the other searched frantically around the general area He was so close now, it was only a matter of finding where her CPU chip was hidden. Soon she would be back in his arms and together they would face Weaver and blow her to high hell for the shit she put them through.

Slowly the look of excitement fell away. the look of desperate , frantic desire was it's replacement. where in the fuck did they hide her? The noise of a groan was emitted through the room. John spun around, his assault rifle readied and raised at the target.

It was a bloodied man. He was bleeding out his side which he desperate clutched to keep internal organs from spilling out. He was out of it as he slammed his back against the cabinet. John Stepped forward. His weapon raised at the dying man.

"Where's her chip."

It caught the dying man's attention, he looked up, his breathing laboured as he attempted to hold his head high. John glanced down. Through his bloodied labcoat, the name was Hong. Connor couldn't have give a damn as he stood over him menacingly.

"Goddamnit, Hong!" He hissed at the dying man, "Where the hell is her chip!"

He gestured at Cameron, Hong's eyes widened and shook his head. Connor roared at the smaller man, his hand reached out and gripped Hong's neck, his eyes were wild with rage as he lifted him straight up in the air.

"TELL ME, GIVE ME HER BACK, YOU DUMB FUCK!" He screamed at right in his face, flying off the handle at the dying man.

Hong's eyes were lidded and weakly his free hand gestured to the what looked like some sort of hard drive storage place hidden amongst the debris of the science lab. John turned back and dropped the man to the floor and ignored the dying screams of the lead scientist.

He wandered over, ignoring Hong's death rattle, his hands outstretched as they wiped an an array of debris off the case. He coughed and turned awy to regather himself. He wiped lips and dried blood off his lips. With shaking hands, he hit the release button and watched as thye case opened up. The case seal opened and in it, alone sat Cameron's CPU, her everything condense into a hyper advanced processor.

He looked at it only for a moment and slowly, John reached out and tenderly gripped it. He had messed up last time. he did not protect her. Never again. Cameron was his wife, his confident, his everything. He slipped up and lost her. With short, strained breathing, he moved back to the imbole near human, and without hesitation and stepped back. Slowly, he counted the seconds.

His thoughts flooded of the early days. when he was a 16 year old, how her thought she was human. How she took a bullet for him so willingly. How upset he had been. How there were moments in his younger life where he took her for granted, used her, hated her. She was a machine after all. And he? He was destined to lead a fight against her kind.

But that all melted away, slowly, surely, Cameron found a way into his life. From a protector, she became a friend, from a friend, a confidant, A confidant led to a closer and closer relationship. The two of them became interdependent of each other. Symbolic perhaps. Cameron protected him. John taught her everyday. About life, love, emotion.

She was not just a killing machine, she was a learner, always striving to advance her understanding of the world she did not belong in and how to better herself. How to evolve...

"John?"

John looked up from her musings. The second flew by. She was alert. She was back!

Cameron was back!

"John." Was her whispered greeting. She closed her eyes inhaled, her hands traced over the dissection slashes across her naked body. Slowly she looked bac up to face her husband, her expression faintly uninterested.

"Welcome back." John returned softly as he watched Cameron push herself off of the table. "You're not going to believe where we are."

John went quiet as he watched Cameron disinterestedly step over the corpse of a female laboratory technician. She squinted at the body and looked back up to her husband, a mildly amused at his excitement. It was rare for her to see that in him since the war with the Machines begun.

"Yes, I have already been wirelessly transmitted all necessary data." Cameron informed him casually, stepping towards another dead female. "We are currently 307 light years away from the Horsehead Nebula our new objective, where Weaver resides."

Without any shame, The infiltrator went to work stripping the perforated corpse. Slipping a bloody undershirt onto herself. John Cringed. This sort of action was more common then John ever cared to admit.

"I missed you as well." John spoke up at long last, ignoring a burning pain in his gut that had plagued hi for far too long. As Cameron slipped on a pair of navy blue dress pants, she looked up and smiled briefly at him. She stood up, a pair of shoes in hands and briefly pecked his cheek.

"A proper celebratory rendezvous would be best saved until after we get off this vessel." Cameron returned, her hand grazing his cheek. She pulled back, and in a loud crisp voice, yelled out. "Mister Massani you can come in."

Cameron bent over to place the shoes onto her feet, As she did so the door slid open and stomping in and giving the married couple a dark glare was Zaeed Massani. He stood there, arms crossed as eyes fell onto Cameron.

"Nice to see you awake, sunshine. Are you ready to get out of here?" Zaeed sneered, his eyes scanned the damage he did to the room with a smug satisfaction. Cameron nodded and, surprising John, She snatched the rifle out of his hand and pushed him into the other human.

"Escort my husband down to your vessel and give me 15 minutes." Cameron commanded the warlord, not flinching at his features. "I have orders given to me by your AI, Xerxes."

"Cameron!" John shouted at her in protest but she turned away and stepped towards the door. Zaeed nodded curtly at the order. He knew when to shut up and obey.

"No John." Cameron said, turning back to face her husband. "I can get this done on my own. Go."

With that said Cameron turned away and left the presence of John and Zaeed. She had a job to do. Failure was not an option.

...

* * *

...

From a cold distant world, a woman sat alone, her room darkened s she watched a live fee coming from the warship Kharakov The chaos, light years away, of of her own doing. She did not mind the stigma. The destruction of the Kharakov would fuel the war effort against the Reaper threat.

A minor skirmishes between two warring nations was always good for her trade. Quietly, she pulled the glass of water to her lips and smiled to herself

She tilted her head and watched as an explosion rocketed in the cargo bay. Slowly she leaned forward, There stood Zaeed Massani on the security feed hacked by Xerxes. More important was that followed closely behind the mercenary was an unarmed John Connor, looking at his surrounding with a strange wonder. Natural for someone who was fast tracked to a future like this.

Catherine Weaver set the glass down and crossed her fingers delicately. Everything as going smoother then she had expected. They would be in her company inside the hour.

"Xerxes, prepare a core meltdown the moment everyone I need is off board." She said as she stood up. There was no reply but Weaver knew it had listened. Quietly she wandered out of the room. She had preparations to attend to. Playing a good host was always a tedious affair for her.

She was barely out of the room when the omni-tool flashed on.

_"Miss Weaver, there has been a request for your presence in the kitchen."_

She closed eyes and silently changed her direction from the lounge for the kitchen area. Perhaps they did not have a delicacy or two for the quarian guest to arrive in a matter of hours. Not surprising, This would be a rare occasion to have one of their kind in her vicinity Not since she lobbied for a quarian settlement be allowed on Earth during the days of first contact. One of the first of many spites the Governments of Earth had organized against the council after the actions of the First Contact War.

She pushed open the doors separating the dinning hall and the main kitchens. She paused to allow her staff to pass by her, arms ladened with small appetizers for the arrival of John and Cameron Connor. She glanced at them briefly before noticing who was in the kitchen, cutting up what looked like Carrots. The man looked up, an awkward untrained smile.

Catherine looked back and smiled briefly as her child, her creation as she wandered to his side.

"How is our guest progressing?"

The man turned back towards the knife in his hand and continued his ministrations.

"He's learning, Slowly." John Henry admitted as his hands tucked behind his back as he followed Catherine to the dinning hall. "I am concern, however." He admitted, glancing back up "I wish to feed him. a touch of generosity may help."

Weaver nodded her head in apparent agreement. A happy guest was a receptive guest. She stepped away and placed a still solid and chillingly cold hand on his shoulder.

"Of course, keep me informed." Was all she said as she broke company from John Henry and departed back to her lounge to await long separated company a veritable family reunion of sorts. She smirked as she thought of the Shepard Patriarch in her custody. The admiral seemed to be an easier sway then she thought.

...

* * *

...

"Hold the Bridge against these stupid bastards! Don't let them take it!"

The firefight was an impressive show. it was confined to such a small area but it was a relative killzone. A handful of Marines and naval personal were holding against a force a dozen or so batarians. The casualties were mounting on both sides over this desperate struggle for control.

Alenko slammed in a fresh clip into his pistol and fired at the lead batarian the rounds bounced off a superior shielding the mercenaries were wearing. Again he fired until the clip burnt out . He threw himself into cover as rounds hit his own shield infective. He looked over and saw his CO.

Mendes too was placing a fresh clip into the rifle he collected off one of his fallen men. He looked up and met the look of his XO. His resolve hardened and stood up.

"Push them back!" The captain roared out as he fired another volley of fire erupted from him, Alenko and a dozen of marines and sailors fired back at the detachment of bartarians. They ducked back behind cover as the Alliance fired back in response to the assault.

There was a sudden renewal of fire. But it wasn't from the batarians. No, the only thing that came from them was a collection of gurgling screaming as dozens of rounds shredded through the group. One the bodies slumped and fell to the ground in a dull thump.

The firing sputtered away, the metaphorical dust settled. There stood several Alliance Marines led by a wounded Danvers as well as several support staff wandering to them, their weapons raised and pointing at the bodies. The marines and the flight crew gave out a collective sigh of relief and then a whooping howl of celebrations. they had been saved!

The unit that saved the bridge relaxed. Danvers limped forward, His blood interlaced with batarian. There was mild grin on his face as he clamped a hand onto Kaidan's shoulder.

"Damn good to see you, Commander. smoke any any of those blinks?" Danvers asked him. Kaidan shrugged and looked over the Major's shoulder. Mendes walked over, his weapon slung his his arms.

"Status?"

Danvers shook his head.

"Had to pull back," He explained, "they caught us in a crossfire, Got a smattering on the line about a siege up here, figured we start back from square one. They're not slaving, they want this ship."

"Agreed," The captain returned and turned back to Alenko. "We need to reorganize, leave a skeleton crew up here an take up an offensive. Kaidan, organize the crew, Danvers and I need to talk."

Alenko snapped out a salute and turned back to the mingling survivors. and started counting them off, In the back of his head was a single thought. What would Shepard do? Alenko snorted and shook his head. Shepard would have gone down there by himself and killed each and every one of them.

"Anyone I miss?" He asked aloud to a couple of bloodied marines under his command. "How about the guard detail on the prisoner?"

"No clue, they didn't check in."The man returned quickly "We did pick up Laboratory staffer over there though. She's almost catatonic."

He gestured over to a woman wearing shredded Laboratory clothing blood soaked from her friends blood, She was standing alone from the group. She was strangely still, lost, her head bowed. Kaidan nodded and stepped away from the group. Slowly and quietly, he approached the woman with an assault rifle dangling from her hands. The Commander frowned at her.

"Miss? Are you okay?" Kaidan asked, carefully placing a hand on her forearm in a vain attempt to comfort him. "Are you hurt?

The womans thousand yard gaze broke and turned up to look at him. Her head cocked. Big brown eyes stared at him hard. Her inexpressive face formed into a dangerous, death inducing glare. Kaidan's eyes went wide. It was her... it. How was she reactivated? Quicker then he ever expected, He turned around. His hand raising his sidearm, knowing it would be in vain.

"Captain!" Was the only thing that could stop the killing machine known simply to him as 'Cameron.'

He did not see the hand grabbing him, nor the head of the machine smash into him. Blackness. a empty state overwhelmed him.

...

* * *

...

The body of Alenko fell to the floor. Her biggest threat neutralized. She looked up from the body and as the men and women crewing the strange vessel turned back to face her. Cameron raised her assault rifle and walked forward.

She sprayed the marines with hyper velocity metal shards. The volley caused the crowd to be pushed back by the sheer intensity of the surprise attack. Many fell. The effect the rounds had on them was devastating. Many were killed, torn up by her rounds.

The heat clip dried up forcing her to pause for exactly 2.76 seconds to eject it. Before she knew it, what was left of the crew. all ten of them had fired back. Many missing in panic. Spray and pray John had once called it. But many connected, causing her to stumble back and hit one of the stations.

She steadied herself and launched herself at her target. The Captain on the ship. with deadly aim and ignoring the rounds penetrating her body. One by one, she systematically executed the last line of defense. She ignored their screams as she watched them Drop and flop on the ground dead as their muscle contractions released and tightened.

It was getting harder to move for her. The material she was made of. It was antiquated compared to this new modern times, She would need a systems diagnostic and a full repair if she was to survive. As she closed in on the men and women standing in a defensive position around their captain, dropped her rifle and punched out, breaking one mans windpipe, another breaking open his head.

Then came an unexpected shock.

From behind her, a man thought killed by bullet to the chest jumped on top of her, wrestling her to the ground. Cameron rolled over in the struggle, forcing her dense body weight to pin a man shot and grazed his throat. Her targeting program confirmed the identity. It was the man who led the assault on her and John. The man who attacked her... her husband.

"Bite me you goddamn BITCH! I'll fucking gut that man of yours!" The Major screamed and spat into Cameron's eyes. There was only one thought etched inside of her processor, a thought that overwhelmed her other processes.

No one. Fucked. With John.

Cameron's eyes narrowed. Her hands reached out and gripped the man's head and twisted it. With all her might She kept twisting until a groaning snap and a ripping of flesh. With one powerful yank upwards. The head came loose and was pulled clear away from his body with half of his spine still attached.

Splattered in the Major's blood, Cameron stood up and wiped her eyes. The major's face was contorted in a look of shock as she dangled the head loosely. The body under her covered her shoes in blood and hit her as it flopped back and forth.

A round caught her in the shoulder and forced her attention back to the objective. With a great throw, She threw the head and spine at the Captain, knocking the handgun out of the captain's reach. He felt against the navigation seat, the head of his comrade in his arms.

He screamed.

The feeling of the cold tip of a barrel was pressed against his head. Allowing the head to roll out of his hands, he looked up and met the bloodied face of the Machine known as Cameron glaring right back at him.

"You should not have lied to Catherine Weaver."

He tired to beg, he tried to plead, but he received no sympathy from the coldly effective killing machine. She pulled the trigger. The blood and Grey matter of Captain Enrico Mendes, roared out of the exit wound. The man's head dropped lifelessly.

It was done.

Cameron dropped the pistol in her hand to her side, holding it like a toy. She gave the corpse a look of mild disinterest and turned away to leave. As she stepped over the still corpses, one body interested her enough to make her pause.

The Man that posed the most threat. Kaidan Alenko. She stared at him briefly before leaning down to gently graze the pulse. It was a slowed pulse. But he was alive. She delivered knock out glow he would never forget.

She rolled him over and glanced at him. The logic in her mulled over what to do. He was disposable

_**Identity confirmed : Alenko, Kaidan Christopher.**_

_**DOB: 04/18/2151**_

_**Nationality: Singaporean Canadian. **_

_**Notable Service Citations: Hero of the Battle of the Citadel. Alliance Medal of Honor. **_

_**Recommendations: High value target. Survival of Alenko can create long term benefits for the future.**_

Cameron disabled the AIM and stared down at the necklace worn by the soldier, the... biotic. It was a Turkish necklace, a hamsa necklace, strange, a warding necklace meant for women, some sort of joke she concluded. But what was more important was what was in front of it. A ring, an engagement ring.

Cameron glanced down at her hand. Hers was gone, in all likelihood destroyed from the TDE Jump. Cameron examined it closer, inside were words written for the woman he planned on giving the ring to.

_Rhana, I'll always protect you. Love, Kaidan._

The infiltrator let the ring go and stood up, gently lifting the man up into her arms and holding him tight as her damaged, bloodied body limped towards the exit.

She took no pleasure in taking human life. But it was necessary. Whatever John and her new reasons to be in this time period was serious enough to destroy the lives of many. As for Kaidan; Weaver may have had the intermediary AI tell her to spare this man in her arms. Cameron's reason however, laid around Alenko's neck. If she could spare a grieving woman the loss of a loved one. Then what occurred here today would be worth it.

...

* * *

...

He sat alone in the cargo bay. technically not. Zaeed Massani sat across from him, attempting to administering a shot of Painkillers into him. The pain i his stomach was getting worse and worse. The cancer in him. It was reaching the breaking point. He needed serious medical consultations. Something Zaeed assured him, he would get once they arrived to some world called Noveria

Noveria. Sounded _real_ fucking promising.

John Connor laid his head back and attempted to clear his mind of everything that occurred here today. He was not a taker of life. Not really. His destiny was to lead a rebellion against an inhuman army of coldly efficient butchers. Today was everything he stood against.

Weaver.

The thought of her was too much to bear. The thought of that goddamn machine sitting in some swanky office, ordering the death of hundreds like it was a game made him enraged. Massani seemed to agree privately, despite the pay he was obviously earning. He had no love for his employer anymore then Connor did.

The Hanger door slid open. Causing John to look up and raise a pistol giving to him by Massani. As soon as the figure entered thye doorway, Conor dropped the gun relieved and happy at the sight. It was Cameron. John suddenly frowned. It was Cameron, soaked in blood and limping and carrying thye body of none other then that son of a bitch Alenko.

"What did I tell you about bringing home strays?" He coughed out, earning a barking dark laugh from Zaeed. Cameron merely dumped Kaidan to the ground without any regard.

"This '_stray' _is a high value opportunity He gets to live." Cameron explained as she stumbled over to sit next to John. The human gave her a look. Zaeed as well, but he stood back up.

"You two stay here, I'll scrounge yup something to eat." Was all the Mercenary said to them before he left.

"Anton! get this bird out of here." Zaeed roared out as the doors closed behind him, echoing through the ship. "Xerxes, cease attack! Tell the batarians they did good work and their reward is waiting for them."

The ship's engine came to life and rocketed back and forth. The connection between the ships broke and the smaller vessel sped off into the dark oceans of space. John rested his head against Cameron's shoulder and stared ahead aimlessly.

"This is... beyond anything I could imagine." John whispered blankly. Cameron nodded curtly, ad with bloodied hands, reached around to raise John's chin.

"We will adapt. We always do." His near human wife whispered back to him. She leaned in and softly, kissed his lips. John smiled into the kiss and groaned as he heard a rough clearing of a throat.

"Got some take out before I left." Zaeed Massani grumbled as he tossed the bag onto John. "Come here, I wat to show you something special."

Cameron looked over to John who shrugged. Slowly the two of them stood up and hobbled over to Follow the mercenary who had lifted Kaidan up. He led them out of the cargo bay and into what looked ike a bedroom with a view. the room scattered with weapons. Massani dropped the out cold biotic onto the bed ad gestured to the observation window. The married couple stepped forward and looked out of it. There nestled amongst the stars was the vessel they were confined too. lifeless. Massani chuckled lowly.

"Fifteen minutes ago, the Council and the Alliance were informed by a batarian extremist group that they were responsible for the destruction of half a dozen alliance ships over the past two years, notably, The Serrano and the Kharkov. your ship."

"Using a combination of an illegal Artificial Intelligence and overwhelming force," Zaeed went on, talking to the two without looking at them directly, "they have fired the opening shots in the Batarian Second Incursion. It will be something both side will agree on."

The ship exploded in a sudden burst of violent blue and white, causing John to shield his eyes. Zaeed snorted loudly.

"Even if the signals and messages were doctored by Zeira galactic Corporation." He whispered, an awful smile spread on his face. He turned away from the explosion, his shape was illuminated by the colors of the furiously brilliant explosion.

"Congratulations you two," Zaeed finished, his awful expression never leaving. "Your rescue by me has started a war."

...

* * *

...

**Finally! It took me 6 hours to beta this. And I'll need to rebeta it undoubtably. Thank you for ready, I hope you were cool with it. I'm sorry for the no Tali and Shepard in ths Chapter, but, I am releasing two new oneshots that wil give you your fix as well as another chapter of First Christmas. And a lot in the coming Future for this story.**

**Alright Thanks again and make sure you Review!**


	7. Touchdown

**Sorry for the delay. Had some computer errors and a string of shitty PM's and reviews turned me off from writing. Not to mention just how far stretched I have become. I have more stories I'm working on. Anyways, thank you for the reviews and I hope you like.**

**...**

* * *

**...**

**Chapter Six: Touchdown**

...

_Zeira Control, This is the vessel Neptune. I am transmitting the private dock security codes. Placing my vessel in standing orbit until clearance is accepted._

John Connor threw up again the clean water in the toilet turned a murky brown interlaced with crimson.

The combination of cancer and the dizzying painkiller Massani had injected with him made him lose what little he had ate during his captivity. Fortunately for the owner and operator of this ship. Cameron had managed to drag him into the lavatory. He had been riding the he toilet for the past few hours with Cameron staring a hole through the back of his head.

She was clearly in mother hawk mode since her reactivation. John was going to be mothered by his wife until it became a physical threat to his safety. It was not the first time neither. Cameron was never very stable when he was her focus. Like his late mother, Cameron had taken up being his caretaker. his primary defender from everything. from terminators from a distant past. to 'Alliance' Soldiers from this foreign future.

Not many had the first hand knowledge of marrying an apparently lovesick terminator.

"How are you feeling?"

John turned back to Cameron and shot her the most withering glare he could produce fore having to listen to such a stupid question.

"Like a have a tumor eating my stomach lining. The fuck do you think I'm feeling?" He growled back at her. Ignoring the sudden flash of surprise and hurt that flashed over Cameron' mostly untouched face. She looked away and allowed John a moment of silence as he heaved into the toilet yet again, weaker then before, thankfully.

John groaned and slumped himself against the wall, his hand clutching his stomach fruitlessly as the dull pain shocked through him. It was getting worse. The doctors on board the what use to be the Serrano poked and prodded him as if he was a scientific anomaly. Like it was odd to fine a human genetically unaltered from birth.

There was a noise of shuffling that caught his attention. He looked up and noticed Cameron, her eyes were focused on him intensely as she slid herself over to join John. John gave her half smile as she sat next to him.

"Cancer has all but been eradicated from human kind. It's a matter of cellular repair and rewriting your genetic code to make sure that it does not happen again." The infiltrator spoke up, attempting to divert John's attention. "Human's with advanced genetic modification live on average to be 155.7 years."

John snorted as he banged his head against the wall.

"Apparently I'm nearly two hundred years old, Cameron, I'm way past life expectancy." John reminded her. He weakly smirked at the look on her face. He already knew word for word what her response would be. Babbling on about living the years consecutive rather then skipping them over through massive time jumps.

Though, he may have been in his early thirties, he certainly felt as though he was nearing 200 years.

John looked over at the silent cybernetic organism. There was a blank expression on her face was she idly dug her fingers in to the deep wounds that were a result to her playing Weaver's personal executioner. Without waiting for permission, John's fingers reached out and grazed a gun shot wound dug deep into her abdomen.

Cameron looked back up. Her eyes again focused on John as his probing fingers dug into her damage. John froze and looked up, these weren't flesh wounds. These had penetrated her Colton based Hyperalloy endoskeleton. Just as he attempted to tug his fingers out, Cameron's strong hand grabbed his and held it into place. Keeping John touching the warm slimy tissue and the hard, shot up steel the tissue hid.

"You're in pretty rough shape, Cameron." John said after managing to swallow the lump of worry blocking his throat. Cameron blinked and nodded at the query.

"Hyper accelerated projectile rounds, more effective than traditional gunpowder." Cameron confirmed as she too dug a finger into the wound on her side. "My hyperalloy chassis is outdated by this years standards. I will need extensive repairs."

_"Clearance has been confirmed. Welcome to Zeira Galactic Headquarters here on beautiful Nova Siberia. Better known to the tourist types as 'Noveria'. We'll be landing on deck 2: The sundeck. I hope that the packages are wearing their summer outfits. Your resort is currently holding at a balmy minus twenty nine degrees."_

"Shut your goddamn mouth!"

A rough cockney accented voice roared out to the announcer,

The door to the bathroom opened. Zaeed stood in the doorway, looking extremely agitated for some damn reason or another. The older man's eyes traveled from the blood soaked Cameron, to the sick John and over to the the mess in the toilet. He sneered and threw a pair of jackets on top of Cameron's lap.

"Best put them on." He stated, turning back to look at John in the eye. "Noveria virgin's are always surprised by how cold this place is outside. We're landing in six minutes. Gather your personal effects.."

_Personal effects._Alenko; John looked over to the only reason Alenko was still alive. Cameron simply nodded her head and turned away from the Mercenary and went back to fusing over John. He winced as Cameron pulled him up. He staggered in place as the ship hit gravity spun around . He fell into his wife, who held him up carefully.

"Thank you." He whispered to her. Cameron merely smiled at him briefly and squeezed his hand. Only she would put up with his bullshit attitude.

**...**

* * *

**…**

_Miranda,_

_Your concern for your sister is not unfounded. I have just received information from my agents stationed in Adelaide. it appears that Antonio Lawson had a stroke three days ago. His treatments are not going well any longer, I'm afraid that his condition is getting worse by the day._

_After you took her and destroyed all his cyrofrozen samples for replication, it has placed his options into a bind. His aide, acting on his orders, has put out a contract on Orianna's return to her. They have hired the mercantile group, The Eclipse to locate and find her. We are feeding those hunting her as much false information as we can, if you wish to relocate her, it will be at your discretion._

_Now, on to more pressing affairs at hand._

_I know that you're apprehensive about entering Citadel space with the Commander. Rest assured, the Council has guaranteed me personally that the Normandy would be allowed free movement through their territory. They are much too occupied to do anything about catching our operatives in their home turf. They have their hands full with the traitor in the midst. Udina has fled the Citadel and his post after it was accidentally slipped that he had a plot against him. Charges against him include high treason. Something that he wishes to avoid by fleeing back to earth. Earth, as you know has no extradition treaties with council species. Though I am sure they will make the exception with him._

_A new development has occurred as well since we have last corresponded. For the past few weeks geth forces were thought to have been ambushing and destroying Alliance Ships, starting with the SSV Serrano. At first I was under the impression that the Collectors were acting more and more bold in their attacks. My hypothesis have been proven incorrect._

_It seems that the batarians are on the march._

_It has not just been against the Alliance now. The asari have been hit as well it would seem. A suicide civilian frigate crashed and detonated against the Destiny Ascension. Killed eighty. If it wasn't for the SSV Kilimanjaro cutting the Frigate in half, the casualties would have been ten times more._

_This may be for the best, with the Reaper threat looming, Destroying the current batarian government could open a warmer relationship with humanity as well as a potential ally in the fight. Better a puppet with us then an agitator against us._

_Please inform the Commander about this development. I will in contact with the two of you in the near future, Good luck with Catherine Weaver. She's not as receptive as I am._

_IM_  
_..._

Miranda Lawson stared at the screen of her terminal hard and leaned backwards into her seat, her hand gripping the bridge of her nose. The look spread across her face was disbelief at just how fast everything could complicate for her. Now the Batarian' were openingly gunning for the Alliance, hell, even other aliens receptive to humanity's spread across the galaxy. It made her wish for the days only the turian's were her biggest concern.

Thanks to the action of her intrepid creation and now Commanding Officer. Her enemy list had expanded ten fold, from simple mercenary groups to the Reapers.

As much as she should have been focused on the upcoming encounter with one of the mot powerful women in the known galaxy, her mind wandered. There was the increased chatter back on Earth, interesting enough for her employer to keep a keen eye on.

Her father.

So. Her bastard of a father was hiring private contractors. Undoubtedly he was sick again, dying perhaps if she was lucky. If he needed his investment back this bad, it must have been a particularly bad episode. Miranda closed her eyes briefly as she stood up and stepped out of the doorway. Orianna's safety was the only thing that mattered. No. She would not uproot Orianna like that. Destroy a life that was just building itself because of Antonio.

No. Miranda had a much more fitting plan for father.

She glanced around the mess hall, looking for the Commander. Only the Mess Sergeant was there however. He was cleaning the mess Grunt and that crazy bitch left behind after their brief scuffle. Miranda rolled her eyes at the thought of Subject Zero. She now officially had the Commander's sympathy, despite her being a bloody criminal. With that sort of leeway with him, she could get away with damn near anything.

"EDI, where are we and where is the Commander?" She inquired as she headed towards the elevator. She already had an idea where he was likely to be. Probably on deck 4, wooing the quarian.

"_We have reached the Pax system. Commander Shepard is currently approaching the cockpit to speak with Jeff."_EDI returned as quick as Miranda had asked the question. "Shall I inform if that you need to speak with him?"

Miranda huffed and shook her head curtly. Before she could say no to the ship AI there was a sudden bang and a tumbling in the ladies bathroom. Miranda frowned at the noise and looked at the door as if she could see through.

"No." She finally said dismissing the AI.

"Just hold still!" Kasumi cried out, ignoring the quarian's protesting cries as the scrub brush bit hard into her suit's sensors.

The quarian was protesting in her native language. Sounded nothing more then a series of bloody growls and hisses. She obviously must have been pissed at the mostly naked Japanese girl. Her suit was abandoned on the floor of the bathroom. The outfit she intended on wearing, a simple black dress was sitting there on the sink. Her hair, much to Lawson's surprise was longer then she had expected.

It was mildly amusing to see that the quarian's body language was clearly uncomfortable about the situation. No wonder, She looked like she was bloody sixteen. Miranda cleared her throat, interrupting their ministrations. The quarian and Kasumi jumped in place and turned quickly to face down the interrupter.

"This is _soooo _not what it looks like." Kasumi said, looking up in surprise, her face formed into a wide nervous smile. Miranda raised an eyebrow at the comment but ignored it. The smile died quickly. Goto glanced back to the quarian. She sighed slowly, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Checking up on the freaks?" She asked brightly again. She glanced at the squirming quarian and added. "No. I'm not teaching Tali how to steal from you. I would not want her to be not only a useless quarian but a useless quarian thief either."

Tali tilted her helmet at Kasumi in confusion. Miranda blinked and then scowled at the strange little thief. Her dark eyes glared at the human defending the quarian. Kasumi smiled slightly and nudged the quarian next to her as she grabbed her dress off the counter. The touch caused the quarian to bounce in a quick surprise.

"Psst...I don't think she likes us." She stage whispered to Tali. Together they watched the genetically superior woman cross her arms in annoyance.

"What are you two doing?" Lawson inquired as the woman slipped into the dress. "Dare I say exploring unspoken feelings?"

Lawson smirked slightly. The words rattled the quarian. She appeared uncomfortable with the statement. Kasumi as if filling a stereotype, merely giggle excitedly like a schoolgirl at the mere mention of her and the quarian being together.

"Oh look! She has a sense of humor." Kasumi spoke up brightly before shaking her head, slowly adding. "No, I'm helping to polish Tali's suit. Engine grease and Trillionaires don't mix well."

"I really don't need the help, to clarify." The quarian grumbled to herself. She cried out s suddenly the thief smacked her arm playfully. Miranda ignored the playful banter between friends and chose to look in the mirror, her mind searching desperately for a subject of current interest.

"Catherine Weaver has a long standing relationship with the quarians." Lawson spoke up, a one of distaste was in her voice as she added. "She organized several ventures into your people. She built settlements on Earth in exchange for technical workers in her fields of work, at least she did before she moved her operations to Noveria."

Tali looked away from Miranda, obviously not buying what she was selling. Miranda scowled but maintained her composure. No cockroach trapped in a environment suit was going to get her worked up.

"Shepard informed me that she's a sociopath." Tali finally spoke to the Cerberus operative, looking back to her, her head held high and proud.. Miranda smiled at the quarian strangely. Slowly, she nodded her head. Kasumi on the the other hand, huffed.

"No waaay, stop the _fucking_presses." She echoed, her voice sarcastic and bitter. Miranda narrowed her eyes at the thief before extending her hand.

"Mascara." She demanded from Kasumi. There was no lightness in her tone, no room to fool around. Kasumi could recognize that. Quickly she obliged the Human and handed it over wordlessly. Miranda looked away from both of them, instead she turned her attention to the mirror.

Silently, she touched up her eyelashes. Her mind wandered as she searched for a way to get rid of that goddamn kleptomaniac idiot. As sh finished she pulled her head back and smiled to herself. It was time to draw the line with this two. She turned back to the quarian, whom had been staring at her actions, her arms crossed. It was her tell. She was upset, perhaps Jealous. This was the perfect time.

Miranda caught the quarian's eyes. Slowly, her lips formed up into a smirk.

"I might be looking into an inch or so of plate glass, but I know wonder and jealousy when I see it." She breathed faintly, leaning in towards the silent quarian.

The remark blew the two of them out of the water. The thief looked at Miranda, her face scrunched up and looking as though she was getting ready to hit her for the remark made against the quarian she was friends with. Tali merely stared ahead at the woman, her eyes narrowed. Her hand reached out and gently held the thief back from assaulting the Operative.

Lawson merely smirked as she leaned onto her hip. She held out Kasumi's mascara bottle.

"Kasumi, get lost." She simply stated, her stern expression hardening to make the little girl leave them alone.

A hand connected to her and shoved her a good foot away from them. It was Tali. She was standing in front of her friend defensively, her usually wide friendly eyes narrowed sharply at the human that was pushing her buttons. Lawson glared back defiantly as she forced herself hold back from punching through that little bitch's helmet using her biotics.

"She doesn't have to go anywhere if she doesn't want to. Try that again and I will be less nice about your attitude." Tali hissed at Miranda, her hand outstretched and jabbing towards the offending human as though she was ready to attack as well. Before she could make any sort of advancement, Kasumi held her back, her head shaking and her lips quirked into a mellow half smile.

"No... I know when I'm not welcomed." Kasumi spoke softly to her new friend. There was a slight chuckle before her hand pointed down to the quarian's leg. The quarian looked like she wanted to protest, however the human shook her head and smiled properly.

"Do me a favor, will you?" The thief requested, her voice echoing a fake cheerfulness. "Take that pretty little boot dagger of yours and run it through her kneecap. You'll be the most popular girl on this ship, trust me."

With a friendly little peck on the side of the quarian's veil, she let go of her friend and stepped out towards the doorway, not before slamming her shoulder's into the Cerberus Operative's, causing a momentary misstep. Miranda turned her head and glared at the thief as she left them and turned back to Tali, whose arms were crossed as she stared ahead at her.

"EDI?" The operative called out to the room in genera, her arms behind her back.

_"Yes Executive Officer Lawson?"_

Slowly, Miranda turned her eye back to the defiant looking quarian.

"Please note that this will be my formal apology for the quarian chief engineer, Miss Tali'Zorah vas Neema." Miranda announced, her eyes never leaving the mask of the quarian. "My behavior was less then cordial and, should she learn to control her inhibitions, it will not occur in the future."

_"Noted_." The disembodied voice returned before falling silent, leaving the two alone again.

"That's it?" Tali demanded to know, her tone sarcastic. "You embarrass me, humiliate Kasumi as well as bring up what she has to endure in the next few hours so you can have a recorded formal apology?"

"You were lucky to get that, even." Miranda growled lowly.

Her facade of self control was falling apart before her very eyes. She wanted nothing better then to tear the girl apart. Pathetic, crybaby. She would undoubtedly find Shepard after this was all done and cry up a bloody storm. With any luck, she'd keep herself back on the flotilla right where she belonged.

"Well I'm sorry Executive Officer Lawson but I don't accept it, not while you act like some spoiled bosh't-"

Before either of the women knew it, Miranda struck out like rattlesnake, punching the quarian hard in her abdomen. The punch was so strong and surprising that it caused the quarian to lose her balance. Lawson ignored the pain in her hand as she watched the quarian cry out and doubled over on the floor. It seemed as though her blitzkrieg had winded her pretty bad. She no fight in her.

Miranda sighed and grabbed the weakened quarian by her arms and lifted her back to face her properly.

"Let's get this straight, shall we?" She hissed shoving the quarian hard away from her You were strictly Shepard's choice to tag along on this mission. There is nothing particularly special about you. Not enough to save your ungrateful ass off Haelstrom and certainly not to delay a mission that kills hundreds of humans a day for your stupid little trial."

Tali's back hit the wall of the shower stall. She had no where to run. If the quarian had anything to say it was lost on Miranda. She could no longer focus n anything other then her rage as she continued to rip into her.

"I could have found a thousand more suitable and useful other options then you." She in formed her. "All of them much better qualified to be here then some Spoiled little, immune-deficent brat, angsting about how _fucking_ complicated humans are to you, how you want to_ fuck _my creation and how." Miranda paused her rage rant and snorted. Slowly, she cocked her head, cleared her voic4e and actually dared to mimic the quarian to her face.

_'Oh..Daddy doesn't love me as much as he should because he has a commitment to the survival of an entire species.'_She pouted in a thick accented, warbly tone the quarian had that drove what she rebuilt wild. If Miranda could see through the mask, undoubtedly, she would be looking ready to murder.

At this point however, Lawson couldn't have cared any less. Instead she grabbed the quarian and tugged her close, chest hitting chest as she she gritted her teeth in unbridled rage.

"I have no need for you lurking on my ship, influencing my projects into doing things that are counter productive to MY MISSION! Are we clear?"

Lawson fell silent and waited for the bitch in her arms to cry out in protest. She wasn't terribly surprised that the stupid docile creature could not even defend herself. Pathetic.

"For your safety, Princess." Miranda finished, satisfied that she made her point. "Stay far far away from me."

Miranda's dangerous stare held over the quarian as her heart pounded a mile a minute from the adrenaline rush endued by her sheer rage. With hard shove she pushed the quarian away from her and headed back out to her original destination, the CIC. Not however, before she called out over her shoulder.

**...**

* * *

**…**

John had two reactions of Noveria. His first reaction was shock. He was standing on a new world. Something he had never ever planned for. Standing on a healthy earth only a day prior was overwhelming. Considering the mess he lived for over a decade and a half. It was a shock to be there. but this? This was overwhelming.

The second was to get into the intimidating, cold building. Even the ghastly building looked to be warmer then this godforsaken rock. He went through nuclear winter after nuclear winter. But never was it this cold.

John watched as his breath froze in mid air and turned over to look at Cameron who wandered past him and onto the hanger deck overlooking the ice world. She gripped Alenko casually by the back of his shirt, dragging him by her side as if she had been carrying a sack of potatoes.

Zaeed chuckled darkly at the sight of the woman's casual abuse of the biotic.

"Is your old woman slow? Or does she just hate him?"

Connor turned back to glare slightly at the offending older man whose arms were crossed as he observed the woman. John shrugged and smirked slightly.

"Consider it a text book example of why no one should try anything to her." He returned lowly. Zaeed grunted, unimpressed with the warning left hanging in the air

Slowly, he stepped out to join her despite the blistering wind hitting his face as he left the ship and stepped onto the deck. He reeled back. It was heated, the sensation shooting up his body to all his receptors. He joined Cameron, who maintained her eyes over the endless ice covering the planet. He smirked and pressed his side against hers.

Cameron looked over to her sick husband carefully she wrapped her free arm around him as well and turned back towards the vista.

"It's quite... pretty." Cameron murmured, uncharacteristically taken aback by her surroundings She looked over and pressed her lips against his and turned away as quickly as it had occurred. John looked her over bemused at her affection. It was strange considering they were in the presence of someone else. Cameron abhorred public displays of affection. She believed it a weakness that should never be exposed unless absolutely necessary.

John inwardly chuckled as he recalled the days prior to Judgment Day. The hours they sat in a mall, quietly stewing in a humanity they believed to be doomed, often she found herself looking at the young and in love couples. Making out every chance they got. It seemed so pointless to her. In her own words _"88 percent of first love scenario romances broke up in their first twelve to eighteen months of inception of said relationship why waste valuable hours doing nothing but exchanging spit and bodily fluids so ineffectively?"_

As he recalled the events in his head He remember how little input he had over her musings. Not because he did not have an opinion, It was more because Cameron was wearing this wide open leather jacket, combined with a low cut black tank top that showed off so much cleavage that he was more then willing to drown himself in. Human or not, it was a beautiful sight.

Of course, that was back before they had been first kiss altered her opinion somewhat. While she enjoyed it, she still hated hopeless romantics to the point where it had been hilarious.

"I bet applying the time honored tradition of global warming and pollution could make this world more bearable." He mused and turned away. Cameron smiled briefly at her sarcastically buried hidden rage from being here at the behest of Weaver and followed his lead, effortlessly dragging the human behind her.

Zaeed took up the rear. In the weathered mercenaries hands was his massive assault rifle, his eyes looking back and forth at ever available pointy of attack. It was almost as though he was distrustful of being here. Connor could not blame him if he wasn't too sick to give a crap he'd have been equally as paranoid with his surroundings.

The doors slid open. causing the group to pause their advance, ignoring the pounding wind and snow hitting them and melting on the heated pathway. Two larges figures stepped forward through the doorway and marched with military precision towards them. They were equipped with a heavy black armor system, their faces obscured by helmets and reflective masks, concealing their identity away from the newcomers. In their arms held exotic looking assault rifles. No where similar to the one they had used on board the ship they escaped.

Cameron stared harshly at the two as they stopped meters away from them, as if daring them to make a move against. As a response Their helmeted heads stared back at her, not uttering a single word. She stepped back and looked over to her husband. John swallowed hard as he noticed the expression on his wife's face. She was worried. Cameron was never worried.

Only one thing could earn that look Cameron now wore like a mask.

_"They're machines."_She hissed to him.

John froze at the affirmation of his suspicions and stared at them as well, he near delirious with rage mind went into overdrive as a sudden chill of engrained fear came back to him . Of course they were machines. He suddenly felt naked without a plasma rifle in his hands. Still, neither of them moved aggressively. They seemed to have been waiting for something.

The door's opened yet again and a tall, feminine shape came striding gracefully towards them. From a distance. His eyes glared at it, thinking it was Weaver who was joining them.

He could not have been more wrong.

His eyes widened at the sight of a tall vividly blue woman standing in front of Cameron and him. It... she wasn't human, she wasn't human or machine. She was a fucking alien.. The woman bowed her head slightly, revealing that this humanlike alien had a growth of identical coming out of the back of her skull.

John grimaced at the hideous sight and stepped back, leaning towards Cameron's ear.

"Cameron..." He begun to hiss,. Cameron looked at him blankly, as though blue tentacle headed women were perfectly normal.

The woman seemed unfazed by the reaction. She merely smiled at him indulgently and begun to speak to the group. John squinted at the sudden babble of alien speak coming to him a million miles a second. What in the fuck was this creature talking about?

Cameron glanced John. The Alien too followed her gaze at John's dumbfounded expression. She seemed slightly hurt at the look of revulsion, confusion and anger spread across his face.|

"Please forgive him," Cameron spoke to the alien in plain English, who had turned away from Connor. "I'm afraid that he doesn't understand you. His translator was damaged in a firefight. He's not particularly... sharp right now."

John scowled at the machine, who faintly smirked. If there was only one thing that amused her, it was John's missteps and humiliation.

The alien's lips formed a slight smile and nodded as if she could understand Cameron. She glanced over at the machine guard flanking her and grabbed something from one of hit's combat vest pockets and handed it to Cameron who nodded. Cameron turned away from the alien and towards John, the alien device in her hand. Without consultation, she attached it to his wrist, ignoring his angry protests.

"It's an omni-tool, you freak." She spoke to him plainly without batting an eyelash. "With a built in translator."

The blood in John' face drained as his scowl turned into full fledged hate for his bitch of a wife. Well. Not hate. But she was definitely a bitch, that was undeniable. The alien chucked at the exchange before turning to the Terminator flanking her right.

"Take Mister Alenko to the medical bay." The woman spoke commandingly before looking past the married couple and over to Zaeed. ignoring John's amazement that he could understand her finally. "Mister Massani, please report to debriefing. John Henry requires your presence."

John's stomach lurched in sudden surprise and a mildly happy at the mention of the Artificial intelligence birthed by Weaver. His partner in the war against Skynet. He fought to destroy his brother and, in a massive cooperative campaign between human's and free machine's, they succeeded. Out of everything Weaver had done since their first encounter in 2008, John Henry was the only thing he trusted from him.

The machine on the the alien's right stepped forward to Cameron and grabbed the biotic from her, swinging him over his shoulder. Zaeed sighed and gave the two of them a nod and followed the Machine's lead, quickly followed the second machine. The remaining three remain silent until the machine's and Massani entered the port.

The alien turned back to the married couple, she appeared to be relieved to have both the machines and Massani out of her presence.

"Welcome to Cain station, Mister and Mrs Connor." The alien welcomed the couple. Her hand was outstretched to them to take "My name is Nasassa Valas, Miss Weaver's assistant."

Cameron looked at the appendage briefly, before she took and shook it as cordially as she could tell herself to do. John knew the expression on the infiltrators face all too well. Cameron had no time for pleasantries. She wanted to get down to the business at hand. not that he could blame her.

"Where is she?" She demanded to know. Nasassa merely looked at the machine intently at first.

"She told me you were to the point, just like her." The alien returned, mildly amused at Cameron's stoic control. "Come. I'll take you to her."

Cameron turned to John, who nodded. It was time to face that god forsaken machine.

...

* * *

**...**

**I feel now is the best time to tel you all this. Anyone born on Earth is automatically much more dangerous, members of the Normandy crew included. Miranda, Zaeed, Kasumi (much more evident later on) Earth is a much darker place to grow up in then usual. So Miranda being such a bitch? Chalk her attitude up to her prior to loyalty, Pissed sty Shepard for depressing her in the previous chapter, concern for her sister and genuine dislike of Tali.  
**

**Sorry for the shorter chapter. This chapter was an transfer. This is the point where the Adventures of the Connor and Shepard and his crew merge. It will be a chapter three times this chapter's length most likely. So it will take a much longer time then I want it too now that I'm distracted with the stories. But I can tell you this:**

**All this Mass Effect 3 copout about Cerberus? Fuck that bullshit. Let me get this straight. If things are looking this shitty for ME 3, Cerberus wise then expect Cerberus not to e canon at all. Illusive Man is my favorite character, Cerberus has been supported by me since ME1 (How you ask? Simple. I told that Alliance Admiral that I wasn't doing much else then find your marines. Fuck your Cerberus hunt)**

**Anyways, thanks for your reading, thanks for your Favorites and reviews. I hope I get more of them even with how abusive I've been to Tali. Don't worry. I swear Tali will get her revenge.. hmm, perhaps John and her will screw around in Miranda's bedroom. I wonder if she'd like the smell of Quarian sex as her new room odor!**

**PS: If you like First Christmas then rejoice, I'm finishing the next chapter as sort of an apology for how I treated Tali the past few chapters.**

**PSS: Fan of Bioware's Knights of the Old Republic? Well I'm near done completing a begining for a new story for that fandom! Take a look once it's released! :)**

**DarkDanny**

**Review!**


	8. Shadow Politics: Matriarch Trellani

**Took long enough, eh?**

**This is a partially betaed chapter. I am waiting on SergusTheGreat to complete it later today. This s kind a departure from the main story and a move to the background. to see what forces guide our heroes and just how the major players are controlling the story. As an apology for the long wait, enclosed at the end is a 600 word prevew of the next chapter.**

**...**

* * *

**...  
**

**Chapter Seven: Shadow Politics: Matriarch Trellani**

...

A lone asari sat in the main bedroom chamber of her personal transport vessel, her eyes fixated on the holopad in front of her. On it was a smiling image of two younger girls being held by their mother tenderly.

"_Matriarch Trellani, we've been approved to land, ETA four minutes."_

Solia Trellani looked upwards, the holopad slipping out of her hands. She had work to prepare.

**...**

* * *

**...**

"She's really back. I was certainly worried that the virus' would keep her."

Matriarch Qwaris Sopora ignored the the elder asari, Matriarch Doveri the best she could and left alone in the crowd as she stepped forward to take her place as official greeter. The tension in the thrown out remark was deeper then she had expected. Then again. Matriarch Trellani and Doveri had a long history of disagreement when it came to Solia's career choices, the biggest and most recent was her decision to study the humans.

The hum of the asari personal transport hovered over the delegation awaiting the return of a most trusted member. There amongst the commando honor guard, the local and galactic dignitaries were lined up, waiting for the shuttle to make its landing. The lading gears touched down and the engines powered down.

The loading bay of the shuttle opened and several of her asari personal guard stepped out, first, lining up an honor guard of their own. Following the Commando's, a lone woman stepped out, her head bowed and her tendrils covered in a veil of soft asari thread. She looked up and towards the crowd gathered for her and gently, she bowed to them.

"Matriarch Trellani. Has your time amongst the humans been fruitful?" Sopora welcomed the newly arrived asari who stepped down the gain way towards the awaiting asari greeter. Sopora reached out and took the hands of the asari matriarch. Solia Trellani nodded warmly, her pearl white teeth smiling brightly at her

"Enlightening is an understatement I dare not to make." Trellani returned, audible enough for the crowd gathered to hear. "We have so much to teach each to one another, Notably, patience for them."

The gathering of asari and turian diplomats chuckled appreciatively at the joke made about the newest members of the citadel races. The only one who did not laugh, was Trellani herself. With a smile for her fellow matriarch and friend, Sopora wrapped her arm around Solia's arms and led her down through the crowd gathered for the greeting.

"The Matriarch's have been gathered to listen to your wise words." Sopora informed Solia, "Though there is still great trepidation amongst them. Rightfully so. You disappear for thirty years. It has many curious."

Solia nodded and merely maintained her smile for her greeters

"Let them be curious, Qwaris." She returned as she briefly tilted her head to the turian ambassador to Thessia as politely as she could. "I shall address them in thee hours time. Have you informed those I will wish to address privately?"

Sopora nodded once and was about to reply when suddenly wizened figure pushed past through the crowd, pausing in front of the two asari matriarch's. Sopora watched as slowly, almost forcefully, Solia's sharp glare at the intruder reformed into a carefully executed political smile.

"Matriarch Doveri, I am so happy to see you once more. It has been so many years." Trellani greeted, her hands outstretched and gripped the older Doveri by her arms. She leaned inwards and pressed her lips to both of her cheeks faintly.

"Yes child. It has far, far too long for both of us to be apart." Doveri returned, smiling kindly as she inspected her former student. "I am so glad to see you unspoiled by the stench of humanity."

Sopora widened her eyes at the statement. So did much of the asari's in the vicinity of the student and the teacher. She looked over towards Trellani who appeared unfazed and unsurprised by Doveri's ignorance.

"They are a most fascinating people, my old friend." Trellani returned, ignoring the blunt cruel depiction of the people she had come to respect. "You would do well not to judge, but rather learn."

Doveri merely smiled indulgently, as though the grown woman was a maiden once more.

"I know all I need to know about them, Solia." Was the simple response of the elder matriarch. "Come, I will take you to your room. You must be exhausted."

As Matriarch Trellani found herself dragged off, she glanced back to Sopora, smiled sympathetic. Doveri was a living reminder why a nine hundred and forty year old asari should hold no power.

...

* * *

...

Her head was lowered, her eyes were closed. Her attention focused to nothing that could disturb her. Solia Trellani blocked out all that got in the way. The gossip of why she was hear. She only turned to focus when she heard Sopora's intern cry out her name forcing the this council session to begin.

Trellani looked up. As Illusive Man once said. It was Showtime.

"Matriarch Trellani, as many of you may be aware know, is back into our numbers after an extended period away from us." Matriarch Sopora's voice broke through the conversation and rumor spreading. "Matriarch." She added, smiling on her friend brightly. "I have no words to describe you, other then how thrilled I am to have you back amongst us."

The room broke into applause in greeting for the speaker. Trellani retracted her hood and looked towards those seated in front of her. Graciously, she bowed in return.

"Distinguished gathering." Solia spoke up, her eyes looking up from the podium and to the asari watching her intently. "As the esteemed, Matriarch Sopora has stated, there is no need for an official introduction from myself. I know you all know of me, of my history, The one asari who voted in favor of Matriarch Aethyta's final motion brought to this council."

She paused and smiled politely as the room chuckled slightly at her words. Inwardly she seethed. Aethyta was a certified genius in her humble opinion, The fiery krogan heritage did wonders in influencing the way she viewed the asari people. In need of a stronger external defense force and potential creation and location of new mass effect relays, one's only the asari knew of.

Damnable, shortsighted appeasement to the council species, made her the laughing stock of the Matriarchal council. Now, thanks to her weary Disillusionment of asari politics, she tended bars in Nos Astra. Such a waste of a brilliant mind.

"The reasons for this sudden request of your council is for the most serious of reasons, I am afraid." She continued, as the laughter died down. "We face an unprecedented threat from external forces outside our sphere of influence. They gather with one thought in mind. The chaos and destruction of our way of life and pursuit of peace. In our lifetime we have seen many dangers arise as council expansion grows. From the Rachni wars, to the rebellions, to the geth wars and recent attack on human space accumulating to the assault on the hub of our intergalactic civilization, the Citadel Station itself."

"With each incident, a young species prove their strengths." She reminded them, "The Rachni Wars showed the marshal brutality and indomitable spirit of the Krogan. With the rebellions, they proved the fortitude of the turians and the intelligence of the salarians. Recently, the geth assaults have shown the strength of humanity, their flexibility and most importantly of all: Their capability of compassion. Compassion that an entire galaxy determined did not exist in them."

Again the room broke into a nervous laugh as they watched Trellani's eyes scan over the council as a whole.

"All of these species have at one point, proven themselves in the face of insurmountable odds." She summed up over them. "Their species were willing to make such sacrifice to keep the peace, to protect our people's lives, to flourish our way of life into the ever shrinking expanse of the Terminus systems."

"Now, I must ask this." Trellani posed to her fellow asari. "Where have the asari been, recently? We tout democracy and negotiation. We claim to be the public face for this grand union of species, but that is no longer good enough. These are dark times, my fellow Matriarchs. Times in which, negotiation and using our words are no longer the most viable option for survival."

"This is what we long feared to exist: The Collectors." She announced simply.

The screen behind her flickered on, revealing the vast monolithlike Ship, Erect and looming over the barren colony of Horizon. Tall and insectoid looking i design. She watched silently as her fellow Matriarch's gasped and whispered frantically to one another at this latest development. Solia remained silent for another minute as the image burned deep into their consciousness. There was no denying what this threat spelled out now. She clicked the button in her hand once more, and another image of the colonialist appeared, paralyzed in place from the nerve toxins in their blood.

"These images were taken from Alliance satellites orbiting Horizon, and Ferris Field as well as from Private Contractor's determined to locate this threat. The Collectors show zero regard for council law." Matriarch Trellani finally spoke up, breaking the whispering up. "The only thing keeping them out of Council space is the show of force the species of the council can produce. While they do not show any signs of aggression against the asari. They have been targeting solely humans, for reasons not yet explained."

"Regardless of their motives or intentions, They have destroyed hundreds of thousands of lives in the process." Trellani concluded. "This act must not go unnoticed by our people."

The room fell into dark silence as the image dissipated back into nothing and the light were once more turned up. Trellani's eyes scanned across the room of quiet matriarch's, All of them looking deeply disturbed at the slide show presented by the speaker. All expect one.

"I will not stand in the way of these so called Collectors." A lone asari called out. The Matriarch's turned and found Matriarch Doveri, standing tall and proud. Trellani tilted her head. Taking the cue, Doveri spoke once more.

"The Virus knew the risks when it it decided to infect those regions of space that should be reserved for more worthy species." She continued, staring right into Trellani's eyes. "Species that have paid their dues. Good riddance to those... _Collected_."

A smattering of polite applauds erupted around the senior asari. Doveri bowed to them respectfully.

"But what happens next Doveri, my old mentor?" Trellani questioned the human hater. "When there is no more humans left to take. Where do they shift their interest?"

Doveri did not have reply for the curious question, nor did anyone else have the stomach to dare speak up.

"Towards the species that can deal them the least amount of harm." She answered for the group. "Us."

A grumbling murmur broke out amongst the gathering as they swallowed Trellani's words. Unchanged in her opinion, Doveri stood back up to challenge her former student's claim.

"The Turian hierarchy has long ago assured our protection." Doveri dismissed with scoff, again earning applause's as she took a seat back down into her chair.

Matriarch Trellani closed her eyes and exhaled slowly.

"I have no say in military policy. I shall leave that up to your esteemed discretion dear Matriarch Xharaius." Trellani briskly returned, gesturing down towards a strict, uniform clad asari, who nodded respectfully to Trellani at the gesture. "I know you will take my words into consideration. My real concern lays with this: The state of the citadel council."

Trellani stepped off the podium and entered the Matriarch circle, each of them watching the youngest of their numbers approach them.

"The proof I have presented is undeniable to those in this room. Yet, the council see's this as a false warning." She addressed all of them, turning in a circle to speak to them all face to face. "The Humans are endangered from the Collectors and yet we do nothing to offer aid. Why? Because the council either refuses to accept their existence. Or purely out of incompetence." She added, her voice high and shaking full of rage. "An incompetence that must be cut out like a cancer."

"If this intergalactic union is to survive the next years, drastic action must be taken by all parts of the union to ensure continual." The asari added as she heard a mumbling of approval around her.

"And what, pray tell, does the esteemed Matriarch have in mind?" Doveri spoke up, earning the soft laughter of her peers. Trellani ignored the mocking tone and turned back to face the watchful Matriarch Sopora.

"I call to motion: The immediate recalling of Xioa Tevos from the office of asari representative to the Citadel Council." She announced simply, her hands folding together as she watched the room erupt into argument and chaos. She taught the eyes of Doveri who looked on her aghast at the motion made by her former student.

There was a sudden call out for silence made by the leader of the council, Matriarch Sopora, who looked down on the silent Trellani with wide curious eyes.

"Might I remind you, Matriarch, that you personally recommended her to the council in the first place. That you felt her to best the best choice we had. This posting had been all but yours before you nominated her." Matriarch Sopora recalled disbelievingly. Slowly, Solia Trellani nodded her head, her blank expression break as a sudden jolt of pained regret came over her.

"I bring forth this motion with a heavy heart." Trellani returned to the enraged Matriarch remorsefully "Xioa is a long time friend. The thought I would do this hurts in more ways then any one of you can imagine. Xioa is a fine politician, a top representative and one who has brought a peace to even the most bitterest of enemies after the Relay 314 incident."

"I fear however, she has become complacent to the situation at hand." She continued. "After Spectre John Shepard ended the conflict on the citadel, she had swore she would offer him aid in anyway. Aid that did not come."

"Why would she aid a delusional grunt?" Doveri bellowed out to her student. A cry that was ignored as Trellani looked around the council and continued.

"My concerns is that this is no longer a time for peace." Trellani pressed on, looking amongst the council. "The asari must be represented by someone willing to stand up and make a difficult decision one day."

"Whom did you have in mind?" Sopora questioned softly. Smiling at the asari standing just below her. Solia bowed deeply and looked back up, her lps in a gentle smile as she gestured to the matriarch in front of her.

"You, Matriarch Sopora." She stated, watching as Sopora's eyes widened. "I have seen your heart. You have a strength that is unbreakable, unshaken. Your devotion to your people has been a source of inspiration for me and too many of your peers since we first met you. Never once have we watched you fall to partisan hackory, You have had an open mind to everything presented."

A sudden eruption of cheers exploded throughout the chamber. The many hundred of asari, allies and rivals of Sopora stood up to applaud in honor of Sopora. Trellani too joined in the applauds, clapping her hands together warmly as she watched Qwaris Sopora blush deeply at the affection shown by her fellow matriarchs.

"I nominate Matriarch Qwaris Sopora for representative of the Citadel!' Trellani cried out over top of the applause. The words of the nomination broke the applause into cheers at the words.

Trellani glanced back and caught Doveri and her circle, they were not sharing in on the celebration in Sopora's honor. Instead, they spoke amongst each other. Trellani turned away as Sopora attempted to regain control of the impromptu celebration.

"This is a monumental offer, Solia Trellani, may the goddess bless and keep you strong for the rest of your life." Qwaris finally said, still blushing and vividly grinning at Trellani "However, there must be a vote on the matter. One that will take place tomorrow at dawn. Until then, this meeting is adorned."

The cheering continued as Sopora dismissed them. Matriarch Trellani watched silently as the asari filed out of the chamber's. Slowly, a faint smile spread across her expression. This had went more smoothly the she could have ever anticipated.

**...**

* * *

...

"The speech was an eye opener for the gathering. Whether it got through to them is up to tomorrow's vote. I know Matriarch Sopora, she is comfort in her position here, she has shown no interest in holding the council office. I have no doubt that Sopora will graciously decline the offer and nominate me in her place. From there, I shall approach those I trust about my intentions."

"That's excellent to hear, Matriarch. With the asari behind you at long last, the other species will quickly fall into line. Perhaps we will survive this coming war against the Reapers."

Solia Trellani bowed her head gracefully in concurrence with Quantum communication projection of the Illusive Man. He sat there in his chair, a drink in his hand as he watched the asari matriarch pace with intensity few ever had witnessed. He sipped his drink idly and set it down on the arm rest and crossed his legs.

"Is something troubling you, Matriarch? Usually you are more collected. Even when you are stressed." The Illusive Man observed as he laced his finger together. Trellani stopped her pacing and looked over her partner, her lover. Gently, she lowered herself onto her knees in front of the Illusive Man, who, leaned forward.

"It my personal issues troubling me mostly. However, I do have worries about Tevos and her reaction." She admitted uncertainly. "My vote secured her councilor tenure. For me to revoke it... It may cause... _unintended issues_. "

Her lover nodded his head, clearly in deep thought, his hand reached outwards stopped sort of grazing her cheek. Solia closed her eyes as she felt the heat of the quantum projection so close to her skin.

"From what I gathered on her psych profile, I imagine a promise of a return to power would satisfy her into submission." He spoke gently. soothing her concerns. "If she does not accept the offer in good faith, we may be forced to arrange an... _accident_."

The Matriarch nodded, almost regretful of the decision.

"As unfortunate as it may be, I can learn to live with that." Trellani returned, standing back up from her knees and flattening her dress out. "But what of this Catherine Weaver's activities? She has all but abducted former Spectre Shepard's father and instigated an armed incursion against the batarians. Will there not be ramifications?"

A ghost of a smile spread across the Illusive Man's lips. He leaned over and hit the control panel on his chair.

There was a sudden flicker on the projector A second form that came into focus. It was a woman. Tall and well dressed, even the mere image presented someone of unimaginable amounts of power in her grasp. Her expression was dead cold as she stared at Solia Trellani, her long, vividly red hair hanging loosely off her shoulders.

"I believe I can answer to those expressed concerns" The tall form of Catherine Weaver replied to the asari's worries. Solia looked over to the Illusive Man, who smirked to himself.

"Matriarch Trellani." Illusive Man spoke up, standing from his seat and gesturing to the human next to him. "May I introduce Catherine Weaver to you at long last."

Mutually, the asari and the human woman nodded their head's respectfully.

"There is no love lost between father and son." She informed both the Illusive Man and the curious asari. "Both care very little for each other in life, Why would the Commander look for a dead father he hated? In good time we will release him and then, in our possession we will have our man inside the upper echelons of the System Alliance ranks at long last."

"As for the war; I would not worry, dear Trellani." Weaver continued, assuring the asari's concerns were unfounded. "The batarians have been largely discredited since the Verge Wars occured. They are proven liars and criminals, what species would take the word of a batarian over the word of a human?"

Weaver chuckled. It was a high fake laugh that seemed so forced, so... inhuman, coming from her.

"This all hinges, of course, on the Shadow Broker Network being completely unaware to our maneuverings." Weaver concluded, throwing a sideways glance over to the head of the Cerberus organization. "My greatest concern is the involvement of the network in the break up in our plans."

Illusive Man looked down and stubbed out his cigarette, turning hs head from Solia, he looked into the piercing stare of the redhead.

"The network will be dealt with inside the week, my friend." Illusive Man stated, his hand slicking back through his hair. "Shepard and I will have our conversation on this subject soon. Handing the Broker over to him will seal a sense of understanding in my methods to him. WIth luck, this will solidify the relationship we have."

Weaver's hard eyes locked with the Illusive Man's as she scanned his expression for any sign of deception, any sign that he was planning on betraying her. Slowly, carefully, Catherine Weaver's thin lips tightened up into a shark like smile.

"Very well then, Illusive Man, Matriarch Trellani. I have said my piece." The industrialist breathed to the others. Her hands wrapping behind her back. "I must go and greet my investments. Matriarch, a pleasure to meet you. We must have dinner, once everything falls into place."

Solia nodded respectfully.

"I would be delighted to do so, Miss Weaver. Until then."

Weaver examined the asari briefly before looking towards the Illusive Man, She returned the nod and disappeared out of her ship, leaving Solia alone with the image of the Illusive Man. Solia turned back to him as well and exhaled slowly. She looked up into his demon eyes and smiled slightly. Her hand reached out and grazed the image's cheek slightly. Though neither could feel it, both understood the affection.

"I'm afraid that must leave as well, Illusive Man." Trellani spoke slowly, reluctant to leave her lover's presence so soon.

The Illusive Man did not murmur a goodbye, merely a polite nod and a half smile. She did not need words. The image of the human flickered and died as he cut the connection, leaving Trellani with her own thoughts. Everything was falling into place just nicely.

...

* * *

...

"Rala, has my bath been drawn yet?"

The maiden housekeeper did not reply to the question. Matriarch Doveri frowned to herself. Usually Rala would have been by her side as soon as the wizened elder asari beckoned for her. Doveri sighed as she pulled the over robes off her body and made her way slowly down towards the bathroom. The works of the asari songstress Sharblu was on, gently crooning over the holoprojectors. It was a strange choice of Rala to have put on, The recording would have been much older then her to remember. And her? Matriarch Doveri hadn't listen to her in well over two hundred years.

She smiled faintly as she opened the bathroom door. Perhaps Rala did have taste after all. It was hard to tell in recent years, ever since the humans arrived on the galactic scene.

Humans: The infection on the galaxy. She knew her opinion on this was growing more and more improper. It did not matter what the others thought. One by one they were falling into the corporate pockets of the ever expanding human interests. Led by the smiling, disgusting face of one human known as Catherine Weaver.

In a period of thirty years, The juggernaut power, Zeira Galatic Corporation had rolled deeper and deeper into asari space, slowly swallowing small companies that stood in its path to Thessia. Most recently, the purchase of Serrice Council sent a real shockwave through the asari council, who, for many centuries, kept the crown corporation in the black. Corporate sabotage was the only answer. The Corporate echelon was caught insider trading and attempting to take illicit technology off of Noveria. A court order froze funds coming in causing a panic in the company. After several months and as the pockets of Serrice Council dried up, Zeira Corporation swooped in and bought the desperate company outright.

This Weaver... Catherine Weaver. She was a menace, an unpredictable, ambitious and unyielding in her resolve. She was unstoppable the moment she set her cold glare on her had a brief encounter with her during the takeover celebration. Charming to the last, charming like that bitch Matriarch Benezia. But, when Benezia smiled, you could feel her presence. With Weaver, When she smiled, there was nothing behind it. It was... frightening alien.

The Matriarch looked over the bathroom in satisfaction, the bath was poured and wanting for her. She left the bathroom as quickly as she entered, first of all, she would go and fetch herself a nice glass of wine and forgot that her former student came here as a public face for the ever expanding human threat...

"Hello... Gianar."

Gianar Doveri went rigid as the heart in her chest skipped a beat from the voice she would never forget. Slowly, she turned around and gazed into the watchful, yet friendly eyes of her student, Solia Trellani. The younger asari stood from her seat on the love seat facing the bar and gently set what looked like a picture frame down.

"Solia." Gianar spoke, finally finding her voice. Carefully she forced a smile to slip onto her lips as she added. "I am happy for you to join me. I am afraid I will be distracted short while, please, help yourself to whatever you would like. I take it you choose the music?"

Gianar chuckled as she noticed Solia Trellani nod her head in admittance. She did not dig into the liquor cabinet as she expected her to do, however.

"I am remembering the old days, Gianar. How we plotted to take the power presented to us so openly. The Doveri legacy... such plans we had." Solia returned finally, laughing softly to herself as she followed Doveri towards the kitchen. The elder Matriarch tightened up at the mention of the past.

"Yes... It was unfortunate it never came to fruition." Doveri murmured as she pulled open the refrigerator. "You reached your matron stage. The sudden expansion of your family dampened all of that we had planned."

As she pulled out several pieces of asari sweet fruit from the fridge, she turned to face her student, whose smiled faltered at her previous comment. Doveri, ever the good host, offered a piece for the newly minted Matriarch, who shook her head politely. She closed the fridge and wandered past her thoughtful former student.

"I always wondered why you never had children yourself. You were such a wonderful mother figure for me." Trellani mused as she turned to follow Gianar, keeping a respectful distance as though he were still an ever curious Maiden. There was a sudden dramatic sigh that escaped Doveri's lips.

"I have never found any attraction in spending two hundred years of my life." Doveri admitted carefully to her former student. "Molding children from birth to my image and then spend another two hundred nurturing their adult life. It just seems so... tedious."

Slowly, the elder asari smirked.

"Such a waste of my time when I could have found... well, a desperate orphan such as yourself." Gianar admitted to the frowning Trellani. "Grown already and hungry for any scraps I throw their way."

Trellani narrowed her eyes at the older asari, who returned the stare. The facade of civility ended right then and there.

"I see that you have finally been allowed to come out of your new master's lair." Doveri observed, laying the cards on the table. "To have found such companionship in a man that is so hated by even his own species, let alone the rest of the council. The similarities between Benezia and yourself are becoming uncanny. Both thinking they have a sway over a dangerous man, both being mere stooges to him."

She snorted in disgust and turned away from the rigid Solia who's lips slowly curled at the asari wandering away down the hallway and towards the bathroom.

"So... you know where I have been." The asari called behind Doveri, following her lead closely "Have you yet informed the others?"

Doveri stopped by the bathroom and rounded back towards her student. She smiled faintly.

"No... of course not, we are old friends, Solia, my dear" Doveri promised the silently glowering asari. "I wanted to know why you have seeked out companionship with such a... man. I will not speak of him.. not until I feel it's my obligation to."

Blackmail. This was the game Doveri was now playing for.

"He is a kindred spirit with an conceivable agenda and means to complete it, the likes you can never begin to imagine. There is a fire in him that you know nothing about." Trellani snapped suddenly, not taking the blackmail kindly. "He seeks what I seek. He has shown me more in twenty years then two hundred years as your student."

"He does not ask for a subordinate, he has so many of them. No, my old teacher, he demands an equal." She continued, slowing her pace behind the elder. "A confidant, Someone who offers him unfiltered council."

The two asari matriarchs stared at one another. Doveri wore a condescending look over, veiled as a sad smile for her former student. Trellani, glared back, defiantly standing in front of her. There was a soft sigh and Doveri turned away from Solia.

"What happened between us, Soli?" She mused softly, murmuring Solia's pet name in an attempt to belittle her. "Where did it go wrong?"

Silence was the answer she earned. Yet again, Doveri sighed and turned to enter the bathroom.

"It occurred roughly around the time when my daughters somehow found themselves in the path of a runaway Ardat-Yakshi."

Doveri froze at the mere mention of what dragged Solia out of Matron stage so early in her life. Trellani stood there, unmoving, deathly silent and looking deeply into the elder Matriarch's tired old eyes.

"Yes...It was... such an unspeakable tragedy." She carefully returned, her lips pouting into an expression of sympathy. "I mourned for your loss for many years. I imagine being a mother to what was left was hard.."

Trellani's trance on her former educator broke. She bowed her head silently and turned way.

"Yes... it was." She agreed, her voice full of unchecked rage.

There was a hissing noise that erupted from her and suddenly before Doveri knew it, she found herself in the tight near strangling grip of someone not Solia, her fragile arms pulled up to her shoulder blades. She tried to scream but felt the cold steel tip of a blade resting against her throat. She turned her head over to Solia who turned back and looked unfazed at the attack in progress.

No... instead she smirked.

"Strip her." She ordered the attacker and wandered away out of the bathing room, leaving Doveri with the much more bulkier attacker. She closed her eyes as she felt gloved hands gently unzip her dress and slid it off, dropping the dress to the floor unceremoniously. Doveri shuddered as the thoughts of unspeakable actions against her came to mind.

It did not, however, happen. Trellani returned with a bottle of vintage Serrice ice brandy. The armored assailant forcefully turned Doveri around in place to face the silently shaking asari.

"Open her mouth." She ordered the attacker yet again.

Doveri tried to struggle, it was in vain. His free hand gripped her cheeks and forced the mouth open for the asari who opened the bottle and gently tipped it into the older matriarchs mouth, forcing the alcohol down her throat

"I searched... hundreds of years to find out who did that to my girls." Trellani growled as she held the bottle in her mentor's throat, her face leaned inwards to examine the sheer terror. "I had political enemies stalked. I personally went to the Justicar on the quest to exterminate that creature... Mornith and begged her on my knees to keep it alive so I could find out why she would be so deep into council space. To this day she was never found."

As the last of the alcohol was drained from the bottle, Solia pulled the bottle away from the alcohol drenched face and dropped the bottle on the sink table. She turned back to face Doveri who was once more turned to face the younger asari.

"Eventually I tried just about everything to find a way to forget they existed." Trellani trailed monotonously. "Even the Shadow Broker could not give me the answers I searched for."

Solia shook her and and blinked away the tears forming in her eyes furiously.

"A few years ago." She continued, looking on her former mentor dead on once more. "I finally informed him of what had happened. The loss I had suffered. Me and him? We were more alike then I had first thought. He too... The Illusive Man had lost so much. He understood everything I wrestled with for two hundred years."

Trellani trailed off, inhaling and exhaling out of her nose, trying to keep herself in check. She knew it was pointless. She was moments away from becoming a wreck. The thoughts of er children, so healthy, so smart and strong, turned into husks...

"Months after I opened to him. He had located the culprit and the reason why the Ardat-Yakshi targeted my babies."

Trellani's eyes darkened into black, her biotics unnaturally flaring up as she struggled to control the hate inside of her. Doveri eyes widened and wildly, she shook her head, ignoring the pressure of her attacker against her.

"I-It's not... Not like that." She struggled out to speak. Before she knew it, Trellani flew into the face of her former mentor, stopping only inches from her.

"Shut up, you miserable, spiteful BITCH!" She screamed at the stuttering bitch. "They were forty five years old, Gianar! M-My girls... My babies... Niara...a-and Dalia... My pre-precious children. They were babies and you ordered the hit because b-because I nominated Tevos?"

The alcohol in Doveri's blood seemed to have been affecting her already. She swayed heavily in her captors arms, her eyes rolling back and forth as she attempted to focus on the enraged mother. As her head fell to one side, the armored hand griped the back of her tendrils to make her focus on the shaking Trellani.

"She... She wasn't a part of the plan..." She slurred unremittingly. Knowing full well how despicable she sounded to the woman she once considered her child. "You were the one to be in power, to implement my plans, to lead the asari to new heights. Instead You... you ruined hundreds of years of grooming."

Slowly, Trellani stepped back numbly as the words resonated through her mind. She wasn't sure how she managed to remain standing after understanding what the words truly meant.

"I wanted out of all of this, I just wanted to raise my little girls...So.. SO you KILLED my children as punishment?" Solia cried out shocked and broken. "You despicable... VILE MONSTER!"

Trellani's hand reared back and then lashed out with full intention of smacking this treacherous bitch until she stopped breath. Before it connected against Doveri's face she felt a hand reached out, grabbing the enraged asari's arm. Solia turned her expression of unfiltered rage up to the human now pinning her arm over her head.

"_Don't hit her, Ma'am. No signs of struggle, remember?" _The voice behind Doveri's ear ordered, electronically altered, cold and professional. The voice was masculine, the hand had have digits. Doveri cried out as she drew her conclusions and weakly struggled in the grip around her naked body.

Solia lowered her hand, her body shaking vividly as she ran her hand over her tendrils in an attempt to regather her nerves.

"Yes... yes you are right as always. Thank you for the moment of clarity." She murmured to herself. Pausing for a moment, Solia looked back up to the assassin's eye level.

"Put her in the tub, It's time." She commanded her voice devoid of any emotion. Doveri wailed out as she felt her body being dragged closer and closer towards the steaming tub. Her struggles and biotic flare ups were useless as she felt her body lifted up into the armored human's arms and gently brought her down into the tub.

"Pl-please... I am just an old fool..." Doveri cried out, her eyes roaming from the assassin faceless features to the silently watching former student of hers. She felt hands wrap around her shoulders. Unsteadily, she added. "I will live with these sins for the rest of my days. Pl-please. show me your mercy."

Through watery eyes, Trellani trembled with a sudden, inexplicable urge to laugh at the absurdness of the cries for mercy. As she regathered her thoughts. She stepped closer to the tub.

"You're begging me for your life to be spared?" Solia hissed as she leaned in to her former educators field of vision, tears threatening to escape her eyes. "I watched my girls become husks of their former selves. They couldn't eat, couldn't form words, They couldn't form thoughts, yet still they lingered on. Their brains rotted away from the taint of the Ardat-Yakshi before my eyes and I-I.. I couldn't save them..."

The anguished Matriarch bowed her head away and heaved a strained echoing sob covering her eyes as she attempted to vainly gain the control f her emotional state. Slowly Trellani looked back up, her gaze back on the asari laying helplessly in the tub. Solia's broken expression hardened once more, her teeth bared at Doveri.

"I cradled my babies day and night for eight straight days until they finally passed on into the goddess' embrace; And you would _dare_ to beg me to grant you mercy?" She sneered, her voice echoing the room with an amount of hate undesirable.

"The Illusive Man... Goddess help me, I did not want him to be so correct about you. But he was. A sociopath, a narcissist. Delusional.." She listed off, standing up from the side of the bathtub. She wiped her eyes "You were my mother long after her death. All I was to you was an extension to your legacy."

Solia rubbed her tired eyes, her drained expression burnt out. and slowly, she turned back towards Doveri, standing arm to arm with the hunched over human assassin. She too leaned over, her eyes blankly staring at the silent asari in the shallow water.

"Take solace, my teacher, In the end you have ultimately succeeded in your grooming." She whispered to the frantic Doveri. "I know Matriarch Sopura, She will turn it down. I will undoubtedly be giving the reigns over the council in a few short days." She smirked, adding. "I will take everything you spent a millennia to achieve, and burn it down in a week. You will be forgotten."

"Your legacy?" She informed her, standing back from the tub. "It will be as dead as you."

She nodded to the assassin. Before Doveri knew it, the hands shifted off her shoulder and over her face, plunging her into the shallow waters. Solia watched her teacher's eyes went wide and desperate as she fought against the the human holding her underneath the water. One hand forced her under, the other shifted, moving to pin both of the failing hands tightly against her chest.

Trellani's eyes never shifted as she watched the asari struggled in a desperate attempt of survival. The human was unrelenting, unflinching as he purposely forced Gianar Doveri to feel her own death coming ad know that she could do absolutely nothing to prevent it. The struggling ended as the last air bubbles escaped Doveri's lips. From under the water, her eyes rolled back and then she was gone. After centuries of escaping justice for what she did to Solia's girls... It was finally over.

Yet still, Solia felt no comfort. Just a strange... satisfaction.

"What do you think Mister Leng?" She murmured aloud to her companion, who was closing the dead asari's gaping mouth close. The armor clad man pulled his arm back out of the tub and looked up to the matriarch.

"_I think your former mentor had one too many drinks and drowned in her bathtub. Such a tragic accident."_ The Cerberus assassin returned, tugging his helmet off to reveal his Eurasian features to the asari who was solely focused on the dead woman in the bathtub.

"Thank you Kai." She murmured to herself distantly. "You have brought a mother some sense of closure, at long last."

Kai Leng, Illusive Man's personal assassin nodded grimly in agreement.

"It was my pleasure, Ma'am." He admitted to the asari. "My employer has asked me to stay with you for security reasons. I suspect however you have other uses of my talents?"

Trellani bowed her head, a small smile appeared upon her lips. Slowly, she nodded.

"Perhaps I shall;" She agreed with the assassin. "Tomorrow we shall discover who will causes enough trouble to warrant your expertise. For now, I'm afraid you must leave. I must alert the proper authorities of my poor teachers tragic accident."

Kai Leng nodded, pulled his helmet back over and dematerialized under his camouflage. leaving the asari alone with the shell of her former teacher.

With a spiteful glare for the spineless dead whore who killed her children for Doveri's own spiteful revenge. Solia Trellani departed the bathroom, her omni-tool raised as she alerted the Thessian Police of the tragic loss she had just suffered.

**...**

* * *

**...**

**Uhoh. The Illusive Man now has a voice on the council...Thanks for reading... now, a preview.**

**...**

* * *

**...**

"_Good God_... You clean up well."

At the breathing of the Mercenary Warlord's words, the whole table rounded their attention to where Massani's was staring at. A young woman stood there solidly, dressed up in a simple black, backless evening gown. Her dark chesnut hair was long, flowing and tousled. Her hard dark eyes scanned the group of misfits as if making a note of everyone in the room. As her eyes fell on to Tali's, she squirmed in her seat, trying to shrink into it.

She had never see anything so breathtakingly beautiful and so fantastically frightening in her entire life.

"Holy shit..." Joker breathed out, his eyes widened and glazed at the site. He pulled off his hat and with shaking hands , pressed it against his chest with an odd respect that the quarian had never seen from hm before.

Still the woman did not move, not even for Joker's leering, it was like she could tune it out. No, to Tali, she seemed to have been waiting for something, anything to happen. Perhaps she was expecting violence from the team gathered. Perhaps it was weariness from the sudden loud inhale and animalistic growl coming from Grunt. Perhaps she was simply waiting on her mate to make an appearance. Shepard had mentioned that she was married to a hacker soldier named John.

The quarian snorted, was John a common name for humans?

Tali looked away and caught Commander Alenko simply staring at the newly arrived woman. His eyes were locked furiously onto her, as though he was attempting to kill her with his glare. The new woman seemed to not have noticed. That, or she was flat out ignoring it.

Chair legs scrapped and were pushed away. The members at the table turned and found it was Grunt. The Tank born, one krogan, organic war machine.

Grunt roared and threw himself out of his seat. His teeth were bared like an animal. His eyes were glazed like he had entered the thick of combat He was sniffing harsh as he turned his attention on the curious woman standing solitary. In that moment of a sudden blood rage Grunt, the genetically superior Krogan charged at the object of his sheer rage.

She did not flinch. She did not show any sort of fear whatsoever...

With a single curl of her fist, The small woman's hand lashed out, Smashing the Krogan's face with her palm. The sound emitted a sickening thud and stunned the Krogan's attack. She spun around in place Her leg up. In a single spin her foot connected against Grunt's face dropping the Krogan hard on the floor of the dining room.

The table was stunned. She had knocked Grunt to the ground in two moves...

Still the woman said nothing. She looked up and away from the downed creature, and wandered back towards the table filled with stunned dinner guests. Tali looked away from her and saw the Mercenary smirking widely his hands giving her a polite clap. Alenko on the other hand had paled, his expression faint from a sudden undeniable threat this woman was.

She reached the one known as Zaeed's side and glanced around yet again with her same hard expression splashed across her face. Much to Tali's surprise however, the silent woman's lips slowly broke into a carefully executed half smile. It seemed forced to the engineer.

"Hello." The woman known as Cameron Connor simply greeted the gobsmacked team.

**...**

* * *

**...**

**Yay! Cameron has mether new team... Tali has a girl crush on a termininator... oh the unforseen consqueneces of this friendship! Review!  
**


End file.
